THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH CALLING FOR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY LIVING-2

INTRODUCTION A s Christians, it must be our great desire to live our lives in a way that pleases the One whose name we claim. It should come as no surprise to those who take the matter seriously that a life of loving obedience is what is required. A true disciple will do whatever the Master asks. Are you ready? For more than thirty years Generals James and Deborah Green, along with those of us God has joined with them, have been diligently seeking God, beseeching Him to show us EXACTLY how He wants us to live. The result of this quest is a system we call Ekklesia Living. This is not a new revelation but ancient. The pattern clearly laid out in the book of Acts. Even though we are far from perfect, with God’s merciful help it works. In fact it works so well that we are convinced that this is the best possible way God’s people can live. FORGET CHURCH—DISCOVER EKKLESIA LIVING! ARM YOURSELF with the knowledge of Aggressive Truth taught by Generals James and Deborah Green. The concepts and ideas supporting and surrounding Ekklesia Living are covered in detail. These valuable resources will greatly benefit the serious student. Having been involved in Ekklesia Living for thirty plus years, The Generals are familiar with virtually every aspect of this revolutionary way of life. READ OUR 50 Pg. BOOKLET, EKKLESIA LIVING -The Concepts and Principles of Ekklesia Living Covered In Detail. It's The MANUAL You Need! READ ARTICLES BY THE GENERALS AND OTHERS -TAKEN FROM OUR 'TRIBAL CALL' PUBLICATIONS. ORDER YOUR OWN PUBLICATIONS AND DVDs DEALING WITH THIS SUBJECT! VIEW THEM HERE. -ALL MATERIALS FREE UPON REQUEST. BROWSE A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL AGGRESSIVE TRUTH! -ALL OUR AUDIO/VIDEO CONTENT, INCLUDING OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS! ALL CONTENT IS FREE! Much can be downloaded as well. New messages added regularly. (All video/audio links updated and checked for playability) INTRODUCTION A s Christians, it must be our great desire to live our lives in a way that pleases the One whose name we claim. It should come as no surprise to those who take the matter seriously that a life of loving obedience is what is required. A true disciple will do whatever the Master asks. Are you ready? For more than thirty years Generals James and Deborah Green, along with those of us God has joined with them, have been diligently seeking God, beseeching Him to show us EXACTLY how He wants us to live. The result of this quest is a system we call Ekklesia Living. This is not a new revelation but ancient. The pattern clearly laid out in the book of Acts. Even though we are far from perfect, with God’s merciful help it works. In fact it works so well that we are convinced that this is the best possible way God’s people can live. FORGET CHURCH—DISCOVER EKKLESIA LIVING! ARM YOURSELF with the knowledge of Aggressive Truth taught by Generals James and Deborah Green. The concepts and ideas supporting and surrounding Ekklesia Living are covered in detail. These valuable resources will greatly benefit the serious student. Having been involved in Ekklesia Living for thirty plus years, The Generals are familiar with virtually every aspect of this revolutionary way of life. READ OUR 50 Pg. BOOKLET, EKKLESIA LIVING -The Concepts and Principles of Ekklesia Living Covered In Detail. It's The MANUAL You Need! READ ARTICLES BY THE GENERALS AND OTHERS -TAKEN FROM OUR 'TRIBAL CALL' PUBLICATIONS. ORDER YOUR OWN PUBLICATIONS AND DVDs DEALING WITH THIS SUBJECT! VIEW THEM HERE. -ALL MATERIALS FREE UPON REQUEST. BROWSE A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL AGGRESSIVE TRUTH! -ALL OUR AUDIO/VIDEO CONTENT, INCLUDING OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS! ALL CONTENT IS FREE! Much can be downloaded as well. New messages added regularly. (All video/audio links updated and checked for playability) Let us know your thoughts. Order Our FREE Publications, CDs & DVDs! CONTACT INFO. HERE! Or, write to us at: AGGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY HR 60, BOX 11, FENCE LAKE, NM USA To Library Index | Back to International H.Q. Let us know your thoughts. Order Our FREE Publications, CDs & DVDs! CONTACT INFO. HERE! Or, write to us at: AGGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY HR 60, BOX 11, FENCE LAKE, NM USA To Library Index | Back to International H.Q. THE EKKLESIA: GOD’S PATTERN—GOD’S DESIRE Part 1 We start by asking what really is the ekklesia? Most likely the average person has never heard the term. Even within the Body of Christ only a very small number know what a true ekklesia is and what life in an ekklesia is all about. Something’s wrong, terribly wrong. This widespread ignorance is tragic, for the concept of the ekklesia and how it works is central to our understanding of how God desires His people to live. This is such a tragedy because the ekklesia (what we call Ekklesia Living) is the New Testament pattern which God, in His all-knowing, all-powerful, ever present mercy has established for those who love Him and desire to live according to His will. Indeed, this is something every Christian should know about. As to be expected, the enemy has worked feverishly ever since the first century to crush, suppress, bury and altogether exterminate anything that even faintly resembles an ekklesia. Why? It fills him with fear. He realizes the power of the God-given pattern. He has experienced the damage a people who let God control their lives can do to his kingdom. To describe an ekklesia in physical terms is not hard to do. An ekklesia is simply a group of people, both single or married, of all ages, who know they have been called together for a purpose. They are of one mind, one purpose, one spirit. It is in this unity that the ekklesia’s great strength lies. Of course an ekklesia does not have to be Christian, for the principles of Ekklesia Living can be used by anyone. Yet the ekklesia we will be referring to in this study is exclusively Christian. Actually, we believe that the ekklesia pattern was originally given by God in His mercy that His people could more easily survive and make the most of their lives serving Him on this sin-cursed earth. Obviously, ekklesias can differ in their operations depending on how seriously those involved want to pursue the idea—especially those in leadership positions. We believe the Christian ekklesia, with Jesus Christ as its recognized head, is the only type that can reach the highest levels of Ekklesia Living and experience the many blessings it brings. Why? Because without God ultimately in control of the ekklesia sin-cursed humanity inevitably messes everything up. Actually, this tragic but historically accurate evaluation proves that man himself is the ekklesia’s greatest enemy. Back to the pattern. The Christian ekklesia is plainly described in the book of Acts. We quote the passages here. Read them carefully and consider the revolutionary implications. These men and women who had walked and talked with Jesus just a short while ago were not playing church. They knew they were involved in something far more serious than mere religion and they threw their lives into it 100%. They held the key to something that could and would change the world. “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.” (Acts 2:44-46) “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.” (Acts 4:32-35) To summarize: the members of the Christian Ekklesia are unified in mind and heart to such a degree that they have determined to pool their resources and hand them over to God to use as He sees fit. This inevitably works itself out in an intentional sharing of all the many necessities of life including food, clothing, housing, transportation and money. There you have it—all things common under God’s control. The concept is very simple, yet taking that concept from an abstract idea to a concrete reality is probably the most difficult challenge man has ever faced. Small wonder that the true Christian ekklesia is an extremely rare phenomenon. The writers of the New Testament had no problem with the ekklesia concept. In fact, “ekklesia” is the Greek word used when referring to the individual segments or local units of the Body of Christ. Unfortunately, as years went by, this important concept of Ekklesia Living was twisted and misinterpreted into the mess we have today called “church.” In fact, every instance where you find the word “church” in the New Testament it is actually “ekklesia” in the Greek text. Get a Strong’s Concordance and look it up for yourself if you don’t believe it. You think, “So what’s the big deal?” The big deal is that these two words have completely different meanings. In other words, rendering the word “ekklesia” as “church” completely changes and misrepresents the concept of Ekklesia Living upon which the first century church was built (more on this serious mistranslation later). Taking into consideration that a serious mistake (intentional, some claim) has been made and God’s people have been misled, the goal of this short study is to re-examine the original pattern, asking the question, “How does God want His people to live?” Make no mistake, this is a very important question. If God does have a pattern, it would benefit us, being His people, to find out about it and apply it to our lives. As we look to God and make it known that we desire to live according to His will, He will make sure we understand what to do. Thank God He is well aware of our weaknesses and the unpredictable frailty of humanity and is more than willing to pour His strength into us as we trust in His help. God loves us more than we can ever realize and He wants us to experience the blessings of an obedient life even more than we do. His hand is there to strengthen and support us every step of the way. In the first three segments we aim to define the ekklesia more clearly, looking closely at what it takes to get involved as well as what is required of those who belong to it. The remainder of the study examines and explains the ekklesia according to the different forms it takes. The ekklesia is one entity in essence yet it functions like several different things at the same time. It bears an amazing resemblance to a living human body. It is a well-equipped, highly disciplined army—a war machine under God’s command. It is also God’s perfect pattern for that complex social structure we call family. Ultimately it is the beautiful, blood-washed Bride of Christ, destined to spend eternity with her loving Savior who has redeemed and sanctified her unto Himself. As we hold the ekklesia up to the light, turning it from side to side and carefully examining it, the many wonderful facets and characteristics begin to catch the viewer’s eye. As well they should, for the Body of Christ, made up of sinners saved by Grace who have chosen to willingly lay their lives down in loving service at the feet of their suffering Savior is truly a miracle to behold. The longer we dwell upon it the more clearly we see the hand of God manifest in its creation, support and direction. It is truly amazing how God, the ultimate designer, has combined so many different functions into one complete package called the ekklesia. Only God could have come up with such an incredible pattern that more than satisfies humanity’s every need. Finally, we conclude our study by asking once again the all important question: “How does God want His people to live?” As you read, keep an open mind. Let the Spirit speak to your heart, for you might just hear God calling you to Ekklesia Living. GOD'S PATTERN - GOD'S DESIRE Why this study? Why should we bother? Why do we even care? It is our sincere, heartfelt belief that Ecclesia Living is God's ultimate plan for His people. In other words: Ecclesia Living is ideally how God intends His people to live. Yet because of man's fallen condition and inherently sinful nature, often it seems virtually impossible to make any kind of progress towards Ecclesia Living. The forces of hatred, rebellion, pride, and greed; the scourge of war and government oppression/persecution, can discourage God's people, often to the point of giving up. Yet God is a God of impossibilities and He delights in doing things that unbelieving, anti-Christ, people claim can't or won't be done. God fully understands our circumstances—the difficulties and obstacles we face, yet still He encourages and exhorts us to push ahead, to strive for the mark of the high calling in Christ. With His help anything can be done. Nevertheless, whether His people achieve the goal of Ecclesia Living or not in no way diminishes God's desire to see His people live according to His plan, nor is the beauty and divine wisdom of the concept in any way lessened. For nearly 20 years we, as a group, have honestly sought the answer to the very important question: "How does God want us to live?" Through much prayer, real-life experience, staying open to the voice of the Lord and obeying His Spirit commands, the answer has become clearer than ever: ECCLESIA LIVING. The longer we follow the ecclesia pattern, as directed by the Lord, the more we are convinced of the divine wisdom contained in it. As we have continually experienced the benefits and blessings of Ecclesia Living in our lives God has made us believers. As this study continues we will look at the main points that characterize Ecclesia Living—or the fundamental truths that have been lost to the church for centuries. When these ancient truths are once again unearthed, brushed off, and polished, they shine with the glory of God. It is these long lost truths that constitute the difference between a living ecclesia and a dead church. THE PRESENCE OF GOD - THE CRUCIAL ELEMENT At the outset we want to make one thing perfectly clear: without the presence of the Holy Spirit of God, and everything that entails, Ecclesia Living is impossible. Man's feeble attempts to follow God and live pleasing to Him are doomed to failure. Our own efforts, no matter how sincere or religious, fall far short of the high and holy standard God envisions for His people. We need His help! Unless we fully recognize and admit our total dependence upon God we will never succeed. Yet once God gives us the revelation of Ekklesia Living, once He shows us what we must do, we must push past the trap of stagnating in the mire of mental assent. WE MUST OBEY! There has to be some action to backup and establish what we know to be true. Our life must begin to reflect the fact that we are submitting to a new order, that we belong to a new Kingdom and we are governed by a King that is far above all earthly rulers. Instead of talking about the Ecclesia we must become it. Unless we are living examples, manifest disciples of King Jesus, we are hypocrites and phonies. We might as well join a church. Sadly, many sincere, devout, Christians throw their lives away running on religious treadmills in dead church systems. They never experience the beauty and blessings of living life as an integral, connected part of the Body of Christ. They miss out on so many benefits that can only come through Ecclesia Living. To break out of this man-made, religious nightmare takes nothing short of a REVOLUTION! The present government of your life must be overthrown, and God's theocratic rule established. Until this is done you will never be able to make the break, take the leap, into Ecclesia Living. As we progress through this series of articles we will touch on many important points that will hopefully help the sincere seeker see the beauty of Ecclesia Living and kindle in them a desire to partake of it. To help you understand how the enemy has replaced the concept of Ekklesia Living with dead church routine, we present he following information taken from a study by Ben Williams titled "What Is The Ecclesia?" It clearly explains that behind the English word “church” is the Greek “ecclesia”. As Mr. Williams points out, the truth that the early Christians practiced Ecclesia Living has been buried under centuries of mistranslation and religious subterfuge. We intend to uncover this beautiful treasure and make it understandable to any and all interested in God's pattern for living. THE CORRECT MEANING OF "ECCLESIA" Now, let's look at the word, "ecclesia." This Greek word appears in the New Testament approximately 115 times. That's just in this one grammatical form. It appears also in other forms. And in every instance, except three, it is wrongly translated "church" in the King James Version. Those three exceptions are found in Acts 19:32, 39, 41. Here, the translators rendered it "assembly" instead of "church". But, the Greek word is exactly the same as the other 112 entries where it was changed to "church" -wrongly. In Acts 19, "ecclesia" is a town council: a civil body in Ephesus. Thus, the translators were forced to abandon their false translation in these three instances. Nonetheless, 112 times they changed it to "church." This fact has been covered-up under centuries of misuse and ignorance. The Greek word "ecclesia" is correctly defined: "the called-out (ones)" [ECC=out; KALEO=call]. Thus, you can see how this word was used to indicate a civil body of select (called, elected) people. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica: In the New Testament, "ecclesia" (signifying convocation) is the only single word used for church. It (ecclesia) was the name given to the governmental assembly of the city of Athens, duly convoked (called out) by proper officers and possessing all political power including even juridical functions. Obviously, in Greece this had no resemblance to a church. And "ecclesia" was a civil assembly in Athens even before the writing of the New Testament. In the Oxford Universal English Dictionary (considered the standard for the English language) the word "ecclesia" is listed in its English form as used by our English forefathers. (Nowadays, only forms of the word appear - like, "ecclesiastical"). Quoting from the Oxford Universal English Dictionary on the word "ecclesia": Ecclesia [medieval Latin, and Greek: SUMMONED] -A regularly convoked assembly, especially the general assembly of Athenians. Later, the regular word for church. Thus, two of the most prestigious word resources in the English language confirm the fact that an "ecclesia" was originally a select civil body. What, then, did the writers of the New Testament mean when they used the word "ecclesia" to describe a Christian body of people? Obviously, they meant the same thing: a body of Christians called out of the Roman and Judean systems to come together into a separate civil community. It meant a politically autonomous body of Christians under no king but Jesus; under no other jurisdiction but that of Jesus. No man ruled them. Only Christ through His appointed leaders. And, that was the reason these same Christians ran into trouble with the kings and rulers of this world; why they got in trouble with Caesar; were arrested, crucified and martyred. They dropped Caesar and took up Christ! The ecclesias were diametrically opposed to the Caesars of the world. This is the well-hidden secret about the ecclesia! BURIED TREASURE The most important point that must be stressed is that the idea, or the phenomena which the N.T. writers were referring to as an "ecclesia", has been covered up, buried, and virtually forgotten due to the translator’s wrong use of the word "church." Millions of Christians around the world have a deficient and warped understanding of the way God's people are supposed to live. The Body of Christ remains a mystery to them. Sadly, they think the Body of Christ is supposed to be scattered and fragmented into millions of tiny pieces. For them the once a week church routine is all there is -and all that matters. They have no idea of what they are missing as they trudge along in their isolated church existence, each family or individual living unto themselves. In fact, selfishness and independence are sworn enemies of Ecclesia Living. Unfortunately, virtually every culture in the world relies heavily upon these two destructive forces. This is why becoming a disciple of Christ is an unavoidable prerequisite for Ecclesia Living. Disciples of Christ die to themselves, and it's that dying that makes Ecclesia Living possible. Upon closer examination and comparison, it becomes obvious that the word "ecclesia", and what it represents in the Greek, does not even come close to adequately describing the gloriously divine concept the Apostles were talking about in the New Testament. The Body of Christ, even in its smallest segments, is much more than a Grecian ecclesia. As we will see, the ecclesia the apostles knew went far beyond a mere gathering of men designated to deal with political problems. Every true Christian ecclesia is going to fight like an army, love and care for itself like a family/tribe, and give its undivided loyalty to God alone, for it belongs to a nation governed by Christ the King. It is an outpost on earth, a living representative among men, of the Kingdom of God. Yes, the ecclesia is a multi-faceted entity, a living organism. Amazingly complex, yet beautifully simple, like the human body, to which it can also be compared. To the discerning eye the design of God can clearly be seen. Undoubtedly, the ecclesia is truly a work of God among men. LIMITED BY LANGUAGE It is the belief of a large number of scholars that the synoptic gospels were originally recorded in Hebrew, not Greek. Unfortunately, no Hebrew manuscripts remain. The oldest and most reliable manuscripts we have today have been preserved in the Greek language. Therefore it is difficult to know what Hebrew word they would have used to describe the communities of N.T. believers. Yet as the N.T. was recorded into Greek, the writers chose words that best matched the new concepts they encountered. Obviously the writers were at somewhat of a disadvantage, because Hebrews were not Greeks, and the two cultures were radically different in many respects. The Greeks did not have the idea of being God's chosen people like the Jews did (although I’m sure they thought they were special). Nor did they have the rich heritage of being ruled over by Kings and Priests appointed by the Living God. Nevertheless, the writers did their best, and the Greek word God gave them to describe, or label, the communities of Christians like the one described in Acts chapter 2 and 4 was "ecclesia". To put it another way, the early writers were forced to use man's limited language to describe something of Divine origin. This always presents somewhat of a problem. The point is that the word "ecclesia", although it sheds much light on some very important aspects, doesn't come anywhere close to adequately describing or defining such an important, infinitely wonderful concept as the Body of Christ. Thank God He has blessed us with the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all truth, for He understands our ignorance and realizes our lost condition better than any. Yet God is patient and longsuffering in His love towards us, and despite all our disabilities, human limitations, even open rebellion, He still desires His people to come under His divine wisdom and experience the many blessings contained in the way of life called Ecclesia Living. Yes, Ecclesia Living is possible! It can be done, and it is being done by sincere disciples of Jesus who have determined to obey God to the fullest and live according to the pattern established by the first believers. Ecclesia Living is a tremendous challenge that involves a great amount of dying to self—one of the requirements of discipleship, and one which many of God's people refuse to accept. Yet as Ecclesia Living is embraced, the life that springs forth is unmatched in depth and quality. God is just and He abundantly rewards those who diligently seek Him and determine to joyfully bend their wills to His will—no matter the cost. TABLE OF CONTENTS DISCIPLESHIP—THE COMMON BOND Part 2 T hose who practice Ekklesia Living never tire of talking about the wonderful blessing they have found. They love to extol the manifold mercies of God that make it possible. They bask in the warmth of true fellowship and rejoice together with those of the same mind. In the evenings they enjoy the peaceful rest of those who labor hard in the will of God. Nothing the world has to offer can match Ekklesia Living. Naturally they want to share the treasure they have discovered, yet unfortunately, those who have not yet met Jesus are often hard of hearing. Besides, they don't really want to hear about something that means the death of their so-called "freedom and independence." Nevertheless, the Ekklesian moves through life trusting God that He will bring across his path those that have ears to hear. And there are those that hear, however few and far between they may be, and they bring great joy to the ekklesia as they lay down their lives and fit themselves into God's pattern. Thus the ekklesia grows slowly but surely. To gather large numbers of people is not the goal of the ekklesia, for it soon becomes apparent to those living in community that uncommitted, unsubmitted people are more trouble than they are worth. The Ekklesian's desire is that God would bring those whom He has called to join them. Church systems strive after numbers. The ekklesia looks for the marks of true discipleship and courageous, self-sacrificing commitment. Those that do decide to join soon find out that they have stumbled upon something far more demanding than a church. Yet as they submit to the ekklesia order, their lives soon begin to shine with the many rewards and blessings Ekklesia Living has to offer. DISCIPLESHIP—THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENT Because it is such an important part of Ekklesia Living, we must look more closely at discipleship: how can you identify a disciple of Jesus and what sets them apart from the average church member. Understanding the practice of true discipleship is essential if we are to gain a clear and complete picture of Ekklesia Living, for discipleship is the common denominator of all those living the ekklesia way. It is the one, sure identifying mark you will find upon each and every member of the ekklesia world-wide. Without it you cannot claim membership, for you will not be grafted into the Living Vine, the Lord Jesus Christ, the source and strength of ekklesia life. In contrast, the church is full of dead branches, religious idolaters upholding and animating man-made systems. The ekklesia doesn't work that way. In fact, it can't work that way, for the One who has established it is careful to cut off dead branches. Every member of the ekklesia must have an active, living relationship with the giver of Life. They must be connected to the life flow. They must be plugged into Jesus. Unless they are, they won't be able to endure the stress, survive the warfare, or make the sacrifices that Ekklesia Living demands. In Matt. 16:24 Jesus clearly gave us three of the primary requirements for true discipleship. "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." So simple that even a child can understand, yet so profound that only a handful of people ever attempt it. To put it plainly, unless Jesus is your first and only love you'll never meet these requirements. Every disciple will have grasped, at least in small measure, the depth and passion of the love that endured the horror of Calvary that we could be free from sin. In turn, they will have a flame of love burning in their hearts that no hardship, disappointment, or discouragement can ever extinguish. It is this love, flowing between true disciples and their Lord, that enables people to meet the requirements Jesus laid down. THE REQUIREMENTS 1 "...deny himself," Why? Because unless you are denied Jesus will never attain the place of rulership in your life that He desires. When the ultimate rulership of Jesus is established in your life, then you, and everything concerning you, takes second place. John tells us, "I must decrease that He may increase" (John 3:30). Decrease, deny, DIE: Hard words for the proud, the puffed-up, the dedicated self-worshiper. The aspiring disciple soon faces the fact that a death sentence has been passed against their carnality. Yet at the same time God guarantees eternal life to those that endure to the end, not to mention the peace and joy that pass all understanding which the disciple enjoys while walking with His Lord. Holding tightly to the promise of eternal life, the disciple willingly endures the death of himself and all that he is. When you sign up for discipleship training be prepared to draw up your last will and testament, and then get ready to have your entire life rearranged according to God's plan. Undoubtedly God remembers mercy as the sword of the Spirit slays our carnality, ties down our independence, and deflates our self-esteem. Yet He pushes ahead with determination, ignoring our complaints, for He knows that unless these spiritual operations take place we will never make it. Of course He understands our weaknesses. Never forget He walked among us in a human body like ours and was tempted in all points. He knows what we go through like someone who has already been through it, and He offers us His strong, steady hand to support and pull us through each test and trial. Yet amazingly enough, God in all His omnipotent strength can do nothing if we are unwilling to die to ourselves. Try as He might, if we refuse to cooperate God can only do so much. Yes, we can stop the hand of God in our lives. The secret is that true disciples look beyond the circumstances, the situations, the sacrifices, keeping their vision fixed on the reward of eternal life that awaits. Don’t get the wrong idea. We need not wait until death to partake of these promised blessings. Life in the Ekklesia is not one long dreary crucifixion. Quite the opposite. Because of their willingness to deny themselves, God makes sure Ekklesians experience a full measure of wonderful abundant life in the Spirit every day. This is God’s way of assuring us, giving us a foretaste of the rewards that await the faithful. Add to this the fact that our Lord walks by our side and you have a people who will endure. As disciples of Christ, determined to deny ourselves, giving the will of God top priority in our lives, it greatly helps to realize that your self—YOU—are the dedicated enemy of God's plan. In other words, there is a part in each one of us, our sinful carnal nature inherited from Adam, the beast inside, that will inevitably side against God and undermine His working in our lives if allowed to. Paul summed it up when he told us in Romans 8:7 that the carnal mind is enmity against God. This is why YOU must be denied, put down, crucified, so to speak. It is only when we acknowledge the fact that there are forces contrary to the will of God working within us that we will begin to see the need to deny ourselves. A true disciple of Jesus bases the major decisions of his life on the will of God, not on his own ambitions, priorities, or desires. The key to victory in this area is striving to make your will and God's will the same—united. Make what you desire what God desires. To put it another way, if you can align your will with God's will so they are one and the same you will greatly reduce the pain of denying your self. One bright spot in this seemingly dreadful task of denial is that the only parts of yourself that must be denied are the parts that are in conflict with God's will for your life. Any good habits and characteristics we may have cultivated will usually fit nicely into Ekklesia Living. Yet anything that displeases or offends God must be put down. Unfortunately, your self, or that force in you that opposes God, never completely goes away. The struggle, or warfare, that the disciple engages in never totally ceases. Yes, it may be greatly reduced by our willing obedience, yet it never completely disappears until we pass from this life to be with the Lord. This is why soldiering for the Lord must become more than just a phase we pass through, more than superficial feelings of excitement that wear off. Soldiering must become a way of life! As the desire for true discipleship intensifies and concrete steps are made in that direction, it becomes obvious that the aspiring disciple must learn to control himself. He must force himself into submission to the will of God. He must surrender and become a captive of Christ, a bondslave so to speak. Yet this is not always as difficult as the enemy makes it out to be. The truth is when we embrace God's will in a spirit of true submission it becomes sweet and delightful. Nevertheless, there are those times in every Christian's walk that God's will seems difficult and painful, embarrassing to our pride, even downright nauseating. It is at these times that the Christian must choose God's will over his own—no matter what. These are the testing grounds of discipleship. What we do at these crucial crossroads determines whether we go and grow upward in the Lord, or sink in the stink of self-idolatry. When we choose to deny ourselves in favor of God's will, that is when the life of God flows into us. It is this life flow, resulting from our denial of self, that carries us onward and upward in our walk with the Lord. 2 "...take up his cross," Ultimately, denying yourself must be more than just refusing something now and then or going on a crazy fad diet for a few days. True self-denial must become an attitude—a way of living. It is a lifetime decision that enables us to move ahead in our discipleship training. When we are willing to deny ourselves then we will pick up our cross and follow. Undoubtedly, denying yourself and taking up your cross are closely connected. The crosses we face as we follow the Lord are actually specific instances throughout our lives that give us opportunity to deny ourselves. The crosses come and go, varying in difficulty, some lasting longer than others. Yet the decision to deny ourselves for the sake of following Jesus is a lifelong commitment, something we carry with us our entire lives. As the disciple moves ahead in life he will encounter many crosses. Not to be discouraged, he keeps his eye focused upon the blessings and the abundant life that comes as a result of the death process appointed by God. As a member of the ekklesia, the disciple will encounter many crosses that are unique and specific to Ekklesia Living. So far we have mentioned the many blessings and benefits of Ekklesia Living. Yet all these wonderful things have a price tag: death to SELF. It is at this critical point that many turn back and follow Him no more. Those who dare to push past the menacing specter of self-denial find the rewards well worth the effort. What are some of the crosses you might encounter in Ekklesia Living? To some the thought of not having a pocketful of private spending money is a major cross. While not being able to pick exactly what you would like to wear is a hard one for others. Working together in a team with those who irritate and unnerve you pushes many over the edge. Another almost insurmountable obstacle can be having how much and what kind of food you eat determined by someone else. How about not being able to indulge in your favorite form of entertainment because the Spirit of God has pinpointed it as a waste of time and money, if not downright sinful? This is a cross for many. Having your personal "space" reduced to nearly nothing can be more than some can bear. Not having your own transportation or being unable to take off whenever you please is a bitter pill for the independent minded. Not to mention the ever-present, unbendable principle of submission to spiritual authority. Many people just can't stand being told what to do, not to mention having their life constantly examined by others. Yes, all these things are involved in Ekklesia Living. This is why the Bible tells us to count the cost and see if we are ready to pay the price. Consider the distance before you begin the race. Yet despite the pain and death to self that each cross brings, there is an equally great, if not greater, amount of spiritual growth which includes tremendous joy, peace, and security, as well as an ever-closer fellowship with the One who endured the greatest cross of all. Just the fact of knowing you are in the center of God’s will for your life is worth all the trouble you may face. We would add a word of encouragement here to balance the weight of the preceding paragraph. Not all ekklesias operate at the same level or by the same standards. The above examples may seem extreme, yet they are only meant to illustrate conditions that you might encounter in any given ekklesia. They are not intended to overwhelm, discourage, or frighten anyone away. Yet the wisdom of experience has taught us that it pays to stare reality full in the face and be at least mentally prepared to make any sacrifice, no matter how extreme, for the sake of pleasing the Lord. Plus, Ekklesians who have been "at it" for any amount of time are usually very understanding about the difficulties new ones go through as they adjust to a revolutionary new way of living. They've been down that road and they are right there with help and wisdom based on experience. Nevertheless, the bottom line is that our will must be conformed to His will—no exceptions. We must die in order to gain His life. But take heart, for when you die to your self you are not alone. The other Ekklesians are sure to bring flowers to the funeral and wish you well as you rise from the dead by the power of God and join with them in experiencing the joy and abundant spirit life that obedience brings. 3 "...and follow me." As we study these requirements we see that they are inextricably connected, relying upon each other in order to be fulfilled. You cannot truly follow Jesus without denying yourself and picking up your cross. Just as importantly, you won't deny yourself or embrace crucifixion unless you have a deep desire to follow the Master. If you love Him you will obey Him, even if it means enduring painful or difficult circumstances. Because of the way that Jesus ordered these requirements it may seem that following Jesus is a result of denying yourself and picking up your cross. On the contrary, denying yourself and embracing your cross come as a result of following Jesus. When we follow Jesus He directs our denials and appoints our crosses. Ultimately, one crucial question looms large in the disciple's vision: how much do you love Him? How deeply do you feel the need to have His hand over your life? The answer manifests itself in the degree to which the disciple is willing to deny himself and take up his cross. Simply put, the more you love Him, the more quickly and completely you will do whatever He asks of you. GOING TO EXTREMES In the church-world you will find those who are confused in their ideas about following Jesus. Many claim to be following Jesus, yet if you examine their lives you uncover strange notions at best; glaring hypocrisy at the worst. First you have the carnal Christians—by far the majority. They lay claim to discipleship yet they stubbornly refuse to deny themselves. And the cross? They run from it like a thief escaping the police. Their concept of following Jesus is based on the pleasure principle. Unless it’s "fun" or "entertaining" they are not interested. They want all the joy, the happiness and good feelings that following Jesus brings, yet they adamantly refuse the dying process. They want the goods without paying for them. Modern churches are packed full of these "funsters" who encourage and support each other. They thrive in the warm and fuzzy feelings of fellowship and the pain-free atmosphere they create for themselves. Sadly, Jesus is nowhere around (yet they are convinced Jesus is in their midst and blessing them). They refuse to die to themselves in any real way. Fellowshipping the suffering Savior is not on their agenda. As a result their Christianity remains at a pitifully shallow level. In another arena of the religious circus you'll find those claiming they are following Jesus in a much more serious manner. These ones actually believe in denying themselves and taking up their cross. So what's the problem? Upon close examination you find that their denials and the crosses they carry are appointed by themselves, not the Lord. Like the Pharisees, they make their denials a public spectacle. When they carry a cross they make sure everyone notices. A life filled with self-appointed religious works is a tragic thing to behold. Striving to reach the goal, yet missing the mark completely, they are tormented by the gnawing fear that what they've done is never enough. They never have the assurance that God is pleased with them. Why? Because God is not in control, they are. Condemnation is their constant companion. Yet at the same time they are so proud of their religious works that they will persecute unto death any that dare to criticize them. They can argue the fine points of theological dissertations, especially those that highlight their great worth, while all the while true holiness eludes them and they sink in the cesspool of self-righteousness. Religious hypocrisy has been the doom of many sincerely misled disciples. Sadly, people that practice one or the other of these extremes inevitably cut themselves off from the ekklesia. In contrast, the brand of discipleship practiced in Ekklesia Living strives at all costs to be SPIRIT GOVERNED. This is the key to meaningful discipleship that pleases the Lord. We may have righteous intentions and the zeal to carry them out, but if God is not directing us all our efforts are in vain. When we are in charge we'll surely make a mess. When Jesus is in charge we'll surely be blessed. Due to the nature of Ekklesia Living, self-directed denials and attention-getting crucifixions usually end up causing enough disruption and general irritation that they are quickly corrected. Although this type of activity may be headed in the right direction, it basically amounts to doing your own thing: something that doesn't go over very well with the Lord. Spiritual superstars have no place in the ekklesia. The real stars are those who have enough humility to submit to the chain of command and patiently wait upon God to direct them. One unique thing about the ekklesia is that when God appoints a denial it is often done in unison. Ekklesians support each other as they die to themselves in order to please the Lord. Even the worst crosses become bearable when shouldered as a team. It's not that we're trying to get out of anything. We have found that there is great wisdom in encouraging each other with the fact that God pours out His goodness and mercy to those that willingly embrace suffering and denial for His sake. We constantly remind each other that it is a privilege to deny ourselves for the Lord. Yes, we need to be reminded, for the flesh has a way of slipping back into old patterns that despise doing anything for God. Truthfully, the flesh, our carnal side, will always complain when denied or put into a harness for God’s Kingdom. God understand this, and out of His great love for His people He has provided the ekklesia system to somewhat lessen the pain for the sake of the obedient. In this way the demands of discipleship become a joy, not a numbing, religious drudgery. SUBMITTED DISCIPLESHIP Another important aspect of discipleship in the ekklesia is submission to spiritual authority. Every group, organization, corporation, or team generally has some sort of authority structure. The ekklesia is no different. The Bible abounds with examples of spiritual authority appointed by God. The early church fathers like Ignatius and Polycarp repeatedly stressed submission to the leaders of the individual ekklesias. Truly, discipleship is the common bond that unites the ekklesia, yet it is extremely vital to understand that it is a submitted discipleship. Again, this can constitute a tough challenge for the independent minded. In fact many turn back and follow Him no more over this very issue. When you honestly join yourself to an ekklesia, virtually every aspect of your life comes under the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit through God's anointed leaders. Yet the wise Ekklesian soon realizes that he greatly benefits as God pinpoints problem areas in his life and supplies the wisdom needed to make things right. He understands that it is for his own good, therefore he submits. It is in this context of trust, faith, and submission that he can confidently deny himself and pick up his cross with the full assurance that God is pleased with His efforts. True, God often demands specific sacrifices of individuals as He works His will in their lives. Nevertheless the approval of the leadership is needed for the sake of the smooth operation of the ekklesia in general. When God does make unique and particular demands of individuals, He gives the leadership understanding and peace. The problem is that even the most sincere, devout, disciple is liable to be deceived. This is why God appoints shepherds He can trust to guard over our souls. No one likes to be tricked and made a fool of by deceiving spirits. It's the job of God's leaders to try and prevent this. Yet even this powerful set of spiritual safeguards won't work if we refuse to submit. To understand Ekklesia Living you must understand discipleship. The two concepts cannot be separated if either one intends to reach their goal which is to truly please the Lord. Each one provides many elements that enables the other to attain its full potential. Disciples need the ekklesia and the ekklesia needs disciples. Furthermore, it is much more difficult to be a disciple, or a member of the Body of Christ, without the benefit of submitting to an ekklesia. When you are submitted you are connected. When you are connected the life of God flows into you. So, it is the submitted disciple that experiences the life-flow of God's Spirit. Also, consider that the New Testament is loaded with commands and directives that are virtually meaningless unless viewed in the context of Ekklesia Living. How can we love, encourage, admonish and serve others in the Body of Christ if we only see them for a couple of hours a week? What a mockery of the divine pattern God has given His people. At best the church system causes spiritual retardation, at the worst: spiritual death and decay. The religious rebels and the loose liberals have no choice but to settle for a dead church existence. Because they refuse to die to themselves they will never fully partake of the close fellowship and abundant life that flows between Ekklesians and their Lord. What a shame! Life as an Ekklesian is so beautiful, so meaningful, so filled with the presence of the Lord that nothing else compares with it for spiritual fulfillment and true joy. God is good and He bountifully rewards those willing to pay the price. HOLY TRIBAL NATION EDUCATION DEPARTMENT To Be Continued TABLE OF CONTENTS THE CALL TO EKKLESIA LIVING Part 3 W hen God declares that His mercies are never-ending and new every morning, we who enjoy Ekklesia Living have no problem believing it. Our lives overflow with blessings and our hearts are full of peace. Why? Jesus is in our midst. He walks among us. He is our God and we are His people. And what's more, we are determined to see His Kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Perhaps we are impatient. We believe that you need not wait until you die before you can experience a great deal of the Kingdom of God. There's nothing that says we can't reach out in faith and grasp God's Kingdom today. We believe it can be done and we are determined to bring it down to earth and make it ours. In fact, we are enjoying many aspects of God's glorious Kingdom here and now! In the 2nd part of the series we took an in-depth look at the different characteristics that define a disciple of Jesus and how true discipleship is the one identifying mark common to every member of the ekklesia. In part 3 we will look at the different aspects of the call that leads to Ekklesia Living. Who is called? Who does the calling? How and Why people are called, and what they are called unto. Yet first we are going to probe into the ekklesia from some different angles in order to gain more insight as to what makes this divine machine tick. A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BODY OF CHRIST To begin let us remember that the word "ekklesia" was the Greek term the New Testament writers chose to describe the communities of new believers that had sprung up as the Holy Spirit moved over the ancient world (refer back to part one for a more detailed definition and explanation concerning how and why the word “ekklesia” was used). The important aspect that many fail to realize is that these new communities, or groups of believers, were actually localized manifestations of the Body of Christ. It is wise that we keep this in mind, for the true Body of Christ has never changed throughout the centuries. In its fundamental essence it remains the same as it was in the days of the apostles. If we are serious about truly belonging to the Body of Christ then we must diligently study it in its original form and compare ourselves to it. If the Body of Christ were to change into something other than what God has established, it would be the same as saying that Jesus has changed. Impossible! Despite the onslaught of a literal army of liberal theologians, Jesus will not be re-imaged in order to please the fickle fantasies of men. What this means is that a house church in China today may closely resemble the early ekklesias of Ephesus or Philippi. Although centuries apart, the God who called both of them and who forms and shapes them into His image is the same yesterday, today and forever. Thus it only makes sense that the Body of Christ the Bible describes in the first century should, in essence, be the pattern that God has set for following generations. Although it may vary in many non-essential details of life, the essence that constitutes the core of Ekklesia Living remains the same. Jesus is at the heart of every true ekklesia, and He owns the heart of every true Ekklesian. In other words, the Body of Christ today should bear the same description, or distinctive characteristics, as that of the one described in the New Testament. Time will never change the basic nature of Christ and the requirements that apply to those who decide to forsake all and follow Him. This brings us to the logical conclusion that if we are going to truly understand how God wants His people to live, it would greatly benefit us to study the pattern established by the first century Christians. Some may argue that we can't expect Christians living in the 21st century to imitate patterns set by disciples of Christ who lived 2000 years ago. Times have changed, the critics point out. Yes, times have changed, yet the inherently sinful nature of man hasn't, nor has fallen man's relationship to the Living God changed. Some things will never change. Thus, the pattern God established for His people, Ekklesia Living, will be the same in every generation. Understanding that pattern is the objective of this study. More than that, it is essential if we intend to successfully fulfil God's desire for a people He can call His own. Obviously, political, cultural and economic factors are continuously changing, yet the relationship between man and the God who created him remains the same. God is far above man, yet in His great mercy He walks and talks with us on a level we can understand. Even our best attempts to be good are doomed to failure without His help. Thank God for Jesus! Only as we experience a new birth in Christ, consecrate our lives to Him and strive to rise up and live by His high and holy standards, can we escape the vise-like grip of sin and begin to institute the divine pattern of Ekklesia Living in our lives. Taking these factors into consideration, we believe that Ekklesia Living is the pattern, or plan, that God has established for His people. Through the miracle of divine guidance and the constant encouragement of the Lord we are given the assurance that this high level of living is attainable in this life. In fact, we have been practicing it in differing degrees for over 20 years. God is good and we can prove it! THE CALL—WHAT IS IT? There are several important aspects about the call to Ekklesia Living that must be covered in order to gain a clear understanding of what’s happening when someone joins an ekklesia. First of all, what exactly is the call? When someone is born again they naturally become part of the Body of Christ. As a result they are automatically called to Ekklesia Living (remember, Ekklesia Living is supposed to be the normal mode of life for those who belong to the Body of Christ). Yes, being born-again redeems us from the bondage of sin and justifies us in the eyes of God, but it is meant to be much more than that. The new birth is a call to a new life. In other words, when you give your life to Jesus the way you live is supposed to change. This is where Ekklesia Living comes in: A revolutionary new way of life as a member of the Body of Christ. Unfortunately, due to the deeply ingrained machinery of religious traditions, many who experience a hunger for God and seek to satisfy it inadvertently end up settling for a dead church existence— a poor substitute indeed. True, the new Christian can survive on the starvation diet given by most churches, but spiritual growth and maturity are almost nonexistent. The ekklesia has so much more to offer. Yet so few practice Ekklesia Living that it seems like an abnormality on the religious landscape. For most it is a strange phenomenon viewed with suspicion. Often, because it is such a rare occurrence, misinformed church people in their fear and ignorance tend to label ekklesias as some kind of dangerous heretical cult, or at best a bunch of over-zealous fanatics who will eventually burn out. Yet when these skeptics are honestly challenged they cannot escape the New Testament record which plainly shows Ekklesia Living as the pattern that God has appointed for the Body of Christ on earth. Sadly, as a result of religious traditions and misunderstanding many sincere Christians live out their lives physically and spiritually separated from the Body of Christ to a great degree. Their experience of the Body of Christ is limited to a routine called "church" lasting only a few hours a week. That kind of life is not a sin in itself, yet what a phenomenal waste of time and energy! Plus, in terms of spiritual growth and nourishment, church life results in chronic malnutrition, retardation, and eventually death. God's optimum plan is that His people dwell together in close community, enjoying a continual, unbroken circle of fellowship with Him and with each other. It is a beautiful arrangement, for the Holy Spirit acts as a hub connecting all the members. Yet after the first two centuries of Christianity had elapsed things began to change. Religious men seeking to create organizations which they could easily control decided to put prison clothes on the Body of Christ and lock it up in a state-run religious system called "church". This tragedy resulted from religious men trying to force God to put His stamp of approval on their greedy, selfish lifestyles. As the old saying goes, he wanted to have his cake and eat it too. These strong-arm tactics against God and His people have persisted through the centuries and today are embodied in what we know as various brands of denominational religion. The end result? The precious treasure of the ekklesia has been buried so well, so effectively suppressed by religious propaganda, that very few find it. And that is exactly what the enemy intended. HOW DOES IT WORK? The way the call to Ekklesia Living works is a spiritual thing. The Holy Spirit continuously searches the hearts of men and women throughout the earth looking for those who are ready and willing to pay the price of discipleship. Sadly, He finds very few. There is no predictable pattern that God follows. True disciples of Jesus are drawn from virtually any and every walk of life, for the Lord is no respecter of persons. Rich or poor, simple or clever, weak or strong: God gives everyone a chance. By a variety of especially arranged circumstances God leads the potential Ekklesian into contact with an operating ekklesia. On the surface it may seem like just another casual contact, but underneath the wheels of Divine destiny are turning. Another has heard the call. He has seen Ekklesia Living in action and realizes that God is in charge and that He has come into the midst of an obedient people. God bears witness to the seeker’s spirit, making it plain that this is the way to go. The Spirit of God beckons the hungry soul to come and feast at His community table. Those already living in the ekklesia know that these encounters are not accidents and will make it plain. Ignorance is no longer a valid excuse. The next move is up to the one having heard. At this point the Christian has reached an extremely important crossroad. The road they choose will determine the depth and quality of their relationship to God for the rest of their life. Unfortunately, most who hear the call ignore it and head down the road belonging to the kingdom of self. Usually these poor souls end up settling for a dead church existence. Many work hard for religious systems, pretending they haven't heard the call and convincing themselves they are satisfied with dead works. Others drown themselves in self-idolatry and try to forget. Nevertheless, no matter what evasive maneuvers they use, no matter how much self-deception they swallow, the call of God remains, and that call will stand against them in eternity. Yet there are a few fortunate enough to stumble upon the truth of Ekklesia Living who soon realize that they have found a hidden treasure whose worth is beyond earthly measure. The wise quickly pay the price, sell all that they have and follow the Lord’s leading before the opportunity passes. WHO IS CALLED? We all understand that God is no respecter of persons. In His great love and mercy He has offered salvation and spiritual regeneration to the entire world (John 3:16). Jesus calls everyone everywhere to join Him in oneness with the Father. He is an equal opportunity Savior. The only requirement being our willingness to confess and repent of our sins, open our hearts to Him, and then walk in His way. As we read above, being born-again is in essence a call to Ekklesia Living. Since God desires that all would come to Him and be saved, it then naturally follows that everyone everywhere is called to Ekklesia Living. As this amazing truth begins to sink into our brains (dulled by religious routine, hypocrisy and sin) hopefully we will begin to realize that Ekklesia Living is the answer to a great deal of mankind's problems. Everywhere you go you come in contact with the unsaved. You are meeting potential Christians—you are meeting potential Ekklesians. As we lift Jesus up in the sight of a sin-sick world, He promises that He will draw all men to himself. Taking Jesus to the world is one of the strongest driving forces of every true ekklesia. We bring Jesus to the lost, He then draws them to himself, and consequently salvation. The next step is Ekklesia Living. Just for the record, we are not saying that salvation is dependent upon whether you live in an ekklesia or not. What we are saying is that those who belong to Jesus should desire to live together, and that Ekklesia Living is by far the best way to do it. CALLED OUT OF WHAT? The early occurrence of ekklesias in their biblical context is not hard to understand, but regrettably the word "ekklesia" doesn't adequately describe the phenomenon which the New Testament writers were talking about. Undoubtedly, the Body of Christ does fit the description of an ekklesia, yet it is so much more. It is important to remember that when the scriptures talk about the ekklesia they are actually referring to the Body of Christ. As we discovered in part 1, the word "ekklesia", historically speaking, was the Greek word used to describe a selected group of Athenian citizens who were notified, or called out, to deal with political and social issues pertaining to the city of Athens. Presumably these citizens of local importance were called from their homes or work places throughout the city. When their business was finished they adjourned and returned to the daily routines of life. This type of political activity is still common today in the form of city councils and local assemblies. The Christian ekklesia is a much more serious undertaking. True disciples of Christ are summoned from, or called out of, the world, or in other words the society in which they live. Instead of a political assembly that lasts for only a few hours, Christians are called to a radically new way of life which entails forming communities, or ekklesias, with Jesus as their head. The Greeks boasted of their autonomy and ability to govern themselves. The Christians understand that they have answered a much more important summons—the call of God to separate themselves from the fallen world—and have submitted to God's theocratic rule over their lives. They don't want to govern themselves, they want God to do it. Instead of dealing with the mundane problems that plague every city, like who's going to pay the dogcatcher and what color should the park benches be painted, the ekklesia deals with questions of much greater importance. How does Jesus want His people to live? What does He want us to do? These are the issues Ekklesians face. In Ekklesia Living much time is spent seeking God for His wisdom and guidance in dealing with the tricky business of surviving in a fallen world. The sobering difference between the two ekklesias is that the Christians cannot return to the world from which they've been called without reneging on their commitment to Christ and jeopardizing their salvation. Their calling leads them into a completely new way of life. They've become subjects of a new Kingdom. They no longer belong to the governments of this world. Jesus is now their King. Unlike the Greeks, the Christian ekklesia is not an occasional meeting or brief political gathering. For the Christian, being called to Ekklesia Living is actually a personal revolution. This is the radical difference we must understand. CALLED OUT BY WHO AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE? We must also thoroughly understand that there is an essential difference in purpose between those called out to partake in a Greek ekklesia and those called to Ekklesia Living as a part of the Body of Christ. Naturally the purpose is determined by the one doing the calling. Among the Greeks the call was clearly from human to human. In God's ekklesia we find living proof of the wonderful truth that God calls people unto Himself. Of course we know that God’s desire would be to see all humanity come to the glorious revelation of free and full salvation through Christ. Yet God also calls people on an individual level to carry out specific tasks connected with His Kingdom and the ongoing war to liberate the souls of men. It only makes sense: the creator calling the created; the Divine calling the human created in His image. In order to make that call unmistakably clear God instituted a plan. Over two-thousand years ago God decided to come and live among his creation. What a mystery. God was born on earth and lived in a human body. The scripture tells us that, "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." (John 1:14). Jesus was the embodiment, or manifestation, of God's call to all mankind. He was the living example of what life is meant to be like when we are one with our creator. In fact His death opened the door, long closed by sin, through which we can now come boldly into the presence of God Almighty. And, like every true Ekklesian, Jesus lived with His people. Therefore, the purpose of the ekklesia pattern that Jesus began is to manifest, through living examples, the true nature and incredible beauty of life in Christ when He is given total lordship over the lives of His people. The idea being that God can use this example of life in Christ as both a blessing for His obedient people and to attract the unsaved unto Himself. What a high and holy calling! What a noble ideal worthy of any amount of hardship, suffering or sacrifice. On the other hand, as the Greek political climate fluctuated, eventually their ekklesias also changed and may have at times become unnecessary altogether. Yet God’s ekklesia, or the Body of Christ, will never change or become obsolete. Yes, we have a big job to do. As true disciples, it is up to us to manifest to the world the divine nature of Christ in our daily lives. Jesus wants to make us into living examples of what it's like when He dwells in and among a people. In other words, it's up to us to demonstrate how God's people are supposed to live. As we obey the commands of the Spirit, the miraculous and supernatural will surely follow. The divine wisdom manifested in Ekklesia Living is a powerful force that will grab the attention of anyone truly seeking the truth. The Ekklesian's life is filled with the purpose of God. Yet only those who truly submit to God know the peace of His direction over their lives. The security that a young child feels in the strong, protective embrace of loving parents accurately describes Ekklesia Living. There are scores of communities, groups, and organizations of every stripe and flavor, yet regardless of how well-intentioned they may be, or the lofty ideals they hold, unless they belong to Jesus they lack that Divine purpose that only the Body of Christ can claim. It is that divine purpose that makes all the difference. TO SUMMARIZE: 1. THE CALL—WHAT IS IT? Ekklesia Living is God's pattern for life. It was established by God through the apostles and it hasn't changed, for God hasn't changed. The offer of salvation and new life in Christ is the same as the call to Ekklesia Living. Being born again is your certificate of citizenship in God's Kingdom. God's offer of protection, provision, and peace are all included in the call to Ekklesia Living. 2. HOW DOES IT WORK? The call to Ekklesia Living is a spiritual thing. The Lord finds the hungry hearts and leads them into contact with an operating ekklesia. Once contact is made, the Spirit of God impresses the call upon the heart. Then it's time to choose. 3. WHO IS CALLED? Just as Jesus died to redeem all mankind, the call to Ekklesia Living is available to everyone everywhere without respect of persons. 4. CALLED OUT OF WHAT? Those called to Ekklesia Living are called out of the societies and civilizations of this world. Unlike the Greeks of ancient times, they can't go back. They are called to a revolutionary new way of life which means permanent changes. 5. CALLED OUT BY WHO? Ultimately, God is the one calling all men to salvation, and thusly God is the one calling us to live according to His ekklesia pattern. In the Christian ekklesia God is in charge. Everything points back to the One who issued the call. 6. CALLED OUT FOR WHAT PURPOSE? God longs for a people He can call His own. Ekklesia Living satisfies that desire. The Christian ekklesia is meant to be a living example, a working model, a miraculous testimony of how life in close communion with God should be lived. In a world of ever-increasing darkness, destruction, and death, the ekklesia is meant to shine brightly, illuminating the path that leads to victorious Christian living. IN CONCLUSION Undoubtedly, the call to Ekklesia Living is a serious matter not to be taken lightly. How someone responds to the call will radically alter the course of their life. If they receive the call with an open heart, realizing that it comes from the Spirit of God, they will in essence be aligning themselves with the will of God. Good days are ahead for that fortunate soul. If the call is rejected then the most valuable opportunity of their lives has passed them by. What a tragedy! Whether it is accepted or rejected, the fact that the call was issued cannot be reversed. God's extended hand of mercy to man will stand throughout eternity as a testimony of His love. Just knowing that God desires to instruct and guide our lives into His way should greatly humble us. How can we not embrace such a merciful offering of divine love? Yet lives smothered in selfishness and immersed in idolatry find it all too easy to turn away. Little do they realize what they are missing. It may dawn on them one day, but by then it will be too late. TABLE OF CONTENTS THE EKKLESIA'S MANY FACES Part 4 N o matter how you look at it, the ekklesia is a beautiful thing. All the power, wisdom, beauty and love found in Jesus can be found in varying degrees in the ekklesia, for the ekklesia is another name for local segments of the Body of Christ on earth. Every body has a face, and when you think about someone you can generally picture them in your mind. It's the face that comes up. When you're looking for someone in a crowd, it's the face you look for. True, the Body of Christ has only one head, yet it has many faces. The more years you spend dedicated to Ekklesia Living, the clearer the different aspects of the ekklesia become. At first you enjoy the tremendous love of the ekklesia as your new family—a love the world doesn’t have. As you make progress and cooperate with the Lord you soon realize that you've joined an army. You see yourself as a soldier, part of a war machine, fighting for your own soul and the souls of others. As time goes by and the many details of your life work themselves out you are astonished at the wisdom of the Lord embodied in Ekklesia Living and how closely the ekklesia resembles a human body, the most magnificent, crowning glory of all creation. In the remaining segments of our series we will look more closely at these different faces, or aspects, by which an ekklesia can be recognized. Hopefully, as the years pass your love for God will grow deeper and stronger. The life of Jesus flows through you as you submit your life to the ekklesia pattern. There is no substitute for Jesus, and nothing can compare with the joy, peace, strength and love we experience as we allow Him to control our lives and shape us into the image He desires. Ekklesia Living is the ultimate pattern for life and it can be ours if we will die to ourselves, pick up our cross and follow the footsteps of the One who went before us. With Jesus in the lead we have nothing to fear. Let us press onward and upward into true discipleship—the fruit of Ekklesia Living. MORE ON DISCIPLESHIP - THE MARK OF BELONGING Discipleship in Jesus is the great plumb line that divides all humanity into two camps. Every person on earth is either a disciple of Jesus (a small minority) or is not (the vast majority). Don't be confused at this point, for there are multitudes of people caught up in religious systems who have had an experience with Jesus, who fully understand who He was and what He did, yet they are not His disciples. He may be on their lips but He doesn't reign in their hearts. They don’t love Him enough to allow their lives to be brought into subjection to His rule. Jesus plainly lists the qualifications or requirements of true discipleship in Matt. 16:24. Listen closely to the words of Jesus: "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Concerning the study at hand, the crucial point that must be emphasized is that you cannot be a genuine member of the ekklesia, or Body of Christ, unless you submit your life to His control and become a true disciple. Undoubtedly, people can attach themselves to the ekklesia who are only pretending to be disciples. Many only let discipleship have a limited work in their lives; just enough so it doesn’t hurt too much and everybody stays happy. Eventually they will be flung off, for they are not grafted into the Vine. If you are not a true disciple the tremendous forces which the enemy brings to bear against the ekklesia will knock you off and out. Only those who have a deep-seated loving relationship with Jesus will be able to endure the many trials and tribulations that accompany a life of soldiering for the Lord. It is these who will reap the many benefits Ekklesia Living offers; whose lives will be well-pleasing to the Lord and who will emerge purified in the end. True discipleship is the common bond, the cohesive force, that unifies and binds together the members of the Christian ekklesia. No matter what part of the world you hail from, if you are a disciple of Jesus you share common ground with every other disciple of Jesus regardless of race, color, nationality, culture or language. In fact, you are related by blood—the blood of Jesus. It can be said of all true disciples that they live by the same set of rules, the same code of conduct. They have the same values and priorities. They worship the same God. Jesus is their common denominator. And because they have given their lives to Him, they all share in the promises of His supernatural presence, power, direction, and protection. What valuable assets to build your life upon! EkkLESIA -THE BODY OF CHRIST IN LITTLE PARTS Remember, ekklesias, in the New Testament sense, are individual units that make up the Body of Christ internationally. When you consider the fact that the Kingdom of God spans the entire globe, no matter what continent or country you are in it is likely that you can find little parts of the Body of Christ, or ekklesias, that is if you know what you're looking for and the Spirit of God is leading you. Jesus’ command to "go ye into all the world" is still binding. Souls are perishing without the knowledge of Christ. It is our duty, our sacred obligation, to take Jesus to all the world, lifting Him up that He may draw all men unto Himself. Wherever the ambassadors of Christ's Kingdom land and gain a foothold, they soon set about establishing communities of believers. Unfortunately, since the truth of Ekklesia Living has been buried so long and so well-covered-up, most of these communities, or groups of converts, settle into church routines of varying strengths and stripes. It is our hope that as God's Spirit continues to call and raise up leaders around the world that a greater number will take up the banner of Ekklesia Living and become real-life examples, demonstrating to the world how beautiful and fulfilling life can be when God is given the preeminence in all things. Though they may seem small and insignificant, every true ekklesia has within it all the information necessary, the genetic code so to speak, with which God can build another healthy segment of the Body of Christ. Just as every cell in the human body contains the genetic information needed to construct the entire body, from the nose to the toes, so each ekklesia contains the lifeforce, or living substance, of the Body of Christ. How? The Holy Spirit of the Living God delights to make His abode and dwell in the midst of an obedient people. When the Spirit of God lives in your midst you have all you need. Every true ekklesia will be first of all created, then animated, regulated, motivated, governed and directed by the Spirit of the Living God. That Spirit, being omniscient and omnipresent, will lead and guide the ekklesia into all truth, a great deal of which has to do with how we, as God's people, should live on a daily basis. LIVING ORGANISM OR DEAD SHELL Yes, the ekklesia is alive! It is a living organism made up of individual people connected in and by the Spirit to each other and to Jesus, their head. The Holy Spirit weaves together the lives of those whose hearts are drawn to Ekklesia Living, creating a living fabric that shines with the delicate beauty of sacrificial love, yet whose strength and durability bravely withstand the enemy's most vicious attacks. How? The ekklesia lives, moves, and has its being in the Spirit of The Living God. Seeking God and seeking to please God top the ekklesia's priority list. God recognizes this and acts on our behalf. Yes, God still speaks to a people who will purpose themselves to sit at His feet and listen. And more than that, He abundantly blesses those who will quickly move to obey any commands or directions they receive. Contrast this with the typically dead, religious existence called church. Churches are like dead shells. They may have an outward appearance of something claiming to belong to God, but inside is spiritual death; religious stiffs who show up once a week for their dose of self-assurance and cheap entertainment that makes them feel pleased with themselves. They love the warm and fuzzy feelings sipping Babylon wine brings. Yet The depth of true Spirit life is greatly limited. Why? Because from the pastor to the people in the pews, virtually all refuse to let God have total control of their lives. False doctrine, humanism, idolatry: these elements effectively alienate and separate them from God. Yet they have their man-made rituals and routines in which they trust. Churches are tragic mockeries of what God desires; seemingly close to God in word, yet so far from Him in true spirit-filled living. As we begin to look at the different faces of ekklesia, we will see so much life, true Spirit life, that all we can do is praise God for His infinite wisdom and His tender mercies. Initially, our carnal understanding and our pampered flesh may balk at the self-denial and sacrifice that Ekklesia Living demands, yet eventually our spirit will rejoice as we continue to surrender our lives in greater measure, begging God to make His abode with us—and He does! THE EkkLESIA AS A 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. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." 1 Cor 12:12-13 "And he is the head of the body, the church [ekklesia]: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." Col 1:18 The first aspect of the ekklesia we will look at is that of a body. The ekklesia bears a remarkable resemblance to the human body in many ways; so much so that the apostle Paul alludes to this amazing analogy in his letters to the Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians, and Colossians. In fact, Paul's comparison of the ekklesia to the human body is one of the strongest arguments in favor of Ekklesia Living found in scripture. Starting at the top: every body has only one head. In the same way every true ekklesia will have only one head—Jesus! Does this mean that there is no one in charge of the ekklesia in the human sense? Absolutely not! The chain of command, including leadership and submission, is a very real part of the ekklesia (more on this when we look at the ekklesia as an army). Due to the fact that everyone is not at the same level in their spiritual growth and cannot always hear from the Lord clearly, Jesus, in His mercy, appoints and anoints leaders whom He can trust to faithfully carry out His commands and sincerely care for His people. Yet if you ask these leaders who is ultimately in charge they will quickly tell you Jesus is their head and He is given the final say so in everything. They make no secret of the fact that they rely upon Him for guidance and wisdom in everything. That’s why they’ve been appointed leaders. Truthfully, without Jesus they couldn't do their job. In fact, without Jesus they wouldn’t even have a job. In both the human body and the ekklesia the head plays an extremely important part. It's one part that can't be amputated or replaced with a transplant. The messages that control the actions and reactions of the body come from the head. The messages of pain that alert the body to danger as well as the sensations that cause it to enjoy pleasure are received by the head. They are then transmitted throughout the body. In the same way, the messages that control the Body of Christ are supposed to flow from the head, which is Jesus, out to the rest of the body. Yet how can the messages be transmitted if the parts live separated from each other? "But doesn't every Christian have access to Jesus?" counters the church crowd. Yes, they may have access, but they may not know how or be spiritually mature enough to use it. Consider the young, the weak, the new converts. Many may not be aware of the privileges they have in Christ. Many are bound by fear. Many of them have not grown enough or are not experienced enough to hear from the Lord. How about the many who come to Christ crippled by deep sin and full of demonic forces? Two hours a week at church won't even begin to do the clean-up operation needed to ensure their survival. Thankfully Jesus has a beautiful way of dealing with these problems. In the ekklesia He is able to communicate with His people through His appointed leaders. Those who need help receiving direction and cleansing from the Lord (don’t we all?) live with the very ones who can help them. This is the beauty of Ekklesia Living. The survival rate of new Christians is much higher in the ekklesia than in a typical church. This should be enough to convince anyone who cares about souls that Christians should live together under God’s command. Undoubtedly, there are times when even the best human leaders make mistakes. Even though they may be appointed by God and sincerely trying their best, no one is immune. Repentance and humility as taught in scripture and practiced by true disciples will always take care of these problems. We must never give up the fight because we make mistakes. Souls are perishing and we are commissioned to reach them. The truly beautiful thing is how God in His mercy can use every mistake as an opportunity to teach us new lessons and increase us in His wisdom. As the scriptures tell us, God can make all things work together for the good of those that love Him.ALL THE PARTS NEED EACH OTHER "Under his (Christ's) direction the whole body is fitted together perfectly, and each part in its own special way helps the other parts, so that the whole body is healthy and growing..." Eph. 4:16 LB As you study the human body, you realize that it is an amazing composite made up of many individual parts. The question posed by those who hold the theory of evolution as to whether the body was intelligently designed or randomly evolved becomes absurd when you behold the incredible complexity of the different body parts and how they interact with and compliment each other. Each part is important and plays a unique role in the overall functioning of the body. And more than that, virtually all the parts are interdependent, needing each other in so many special ways. The body is the interface where the many parts and systems connect. This was no accident. The parts without the body are useless. The body without the parts is no body. If even one part is removed the body becomes crippled and unable to function to its full capacity. If the parts are separated from the body they won’t work at all. Just cut off your hand and see how well it works. The fact that so many parts compliment each other and work together so smoothly, supplying each others needs, is ample evidence of intelligent design. It also presents a strong argument in favor of the idea that the parts of the Body of Christ must be closely connected, or in other words, Ekklesia Living. The ekklesia most definitely resembles the human body in the sense that the Body of Christ is also an amazingly complex, living organism made up of many individual parts. In the ekklesia those parts are people, and every person God joins to the ekklesia will have a role to play. The Apostle Paul makes it very clear that each part is important. He points out that even the seemingly ugly, common, or hidden parts are very much needed for the body to function properly (I Cor. 12:22-24). God's people need each other, and more than that, they need to live with each other in order for each member to play its part in the body, benefitting from the other parts and sharing what they have to offer as well. Just as in the physical body, God has designed His spiritual body on earth in such a way that each part supplies a needed skill, talent, or resource. How can the body benefit from what the parts have to offer if they live separated and isolated from each other? It can't work. It doesn't work. Yes, people can function and survive as Christians with very little contact from other Christians, yet this is only accomplished by the mercy of God. When a Christian is cut off or separated from the body, in most cases they will languish and die. God's optimum plan is that the parts live in close proximity to each other, just as they do in the human body. The ekklesia becomes the interface where all the parts connect. As a Christian you need to be connected to a body with Jesus Christ as the head. There are many areas of your life that God wants to cleanse, strengthen, refine, and perfect, and because we are human, He moves by His Spirit through other human members of His body to do it. A Christian that lives separated from the Body of Christ except for a couple hours a week in church is at best spiritually retarded and at worst like part of a human body cut off—a dead thing. THE BODY'S MANY SYSTEMS "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." 1 Cor 12:28 Besides being a collection of parts, those parts continually interact to support, regulate, and protect each other. When a number of parts work together to meet a specific need we call that a system. The human body has many important systems which must continually function smoothly if the body is to survive. Consider the nervous system, the circulatory and respiratory systems. The immune system and digestive tract are wonders to behold. More amazing still is how the different systems interact with each other. This interaction is so complex that humans will probably never fully understand it all. When functioning properly, the human body is easily one of the strongest, most rugged and durable machines on earth. At the same time it can be so delicate and sensitive that fragile operations of extreme complexity are performed with ease. Its versatility and adaptability are truly amazing. The same things are true about that divinely inspired organism called the Body of Christ. Surely this is the handiwork of an intelligent creator—the Living God! Being a body, the ekklesia also has many similar systems working within it that are found in the human body. Space won't allow us to develop the analogy in detail, yet we can look at a couple of the major systems that have counterparts in the ekklesia. Consider the nervous system. In the human body we find a system so complete, so complex, so well-designed, that the most brilliant electrical engineers are awed. In the ekklesia Jesus is the head, or the brain, of the body. Beneath Him is a network of mature men and women whom He has hand-picked by His Spirit and placed in position according to His wisdom. This arrangement is like the spinal cord: a major communication pathway that reaches throughout the entire body. All other members are connected to this network which is in turn connected to the head. Of course we know that at the same time each member is personally connected to Jesus, yet when it comes to the ekklesia, God uses His leaders to keep things working smoothly and in order. Again, it's the young, the weak, the new converts that especially benefit from this highly efficient communication system. It's not so much in the praise and worship aspects of our spirit life where this system is needed. That's the easy part. But when it comes to other important issues like correction, instruction, discipline and direction, that's when the beauty and wisdom of the downward flow of information through mature leaders becomes apparent. BEING CONNECTED IS THE KEY Naturally it is the head's responsibility to communicate with the rest of the body in order to direct and control it. But if the parts are not regularly connected, as in your typical church system, then the messages cannot reach their destinations and the head loses control. The inevitable result is that confusion enters, sin is not kept in check and the body inevitably becomes contaminated. All this can be traced back to lack of communication and control between the head and the members. No doubt you don't have to live in an ekklesia to hear from the Lord and have Jesus direct your life. Yet consider how much more difficult it can be to maintain vital, unbroken fellowship and communication with Jesus when someone is on their own without support. When you are joined to an ekklesia it is no longer just you against the world. You've become part of a body that is connected and controlled by the head, Jesus Christ. You've got help and support from a group of others who are of the same mind and spirit. Plus, you’re plugged into the different systems of the body and life in the Spirit becomes a whole new thing. In the ekklesia the Spirit of God is able to communicate with the members through the leadership on a regular basis because the members are all living together. When all the members live in different parts of town, as in a church system, it is very difficult, if not impossible, for the leadership to communicate with them. Some say, "Our church meets together twice a week. Isn't that good enough?" NO! When you consider how complex life can become and the seemingly endless decisions we must make, the honest Christian will admit they need help. We need the Spirit's guidance on a daily basis. The incredible strength and durability of the ekklesia is greatly due to the fact that the members enjoy virtually unbroken communication with each other and with their head, Jesus Christ. Daily guidance is there because Jesus is in control. As parts of the Body of Christ, we have obligations to the other members. We are exhorted to pray for one another, bear each other's burdens, confess our faults one to another, teach our children, as well as new believers, and to rejoice with one another in the Lord. How can all this wonderful interaction take place if the parts are living separated from each other? Yes, these obligations mentioned do happen in church systems, but only at a sickly fraction of what God's people really need. What a shame. The Bible tells us that the world will know we are Christians by our love; our love towards them, yes, but especially our love towards each other. This is one characteristic which the Romans who lived with the early Christians particularly noticed: how they lived, loved, and cared for one another in the face of persecution and hardship. How did they do it? Their lives were drawn together and connected to each other under the headship of Christ. The result was the divinely designed social fabric called Ekklesia Living. As the world beheld this beautiful new creation it dawned on them that these Christians had something they didn't have. No matter what you did to them, how cruelly you treated them, they could love and forgive. They didn't fight back with the carnal weapons of the world. Their lives weren't ruled by fear and superstition. The ancient world took notice and many joined their side. The reason modern Christians are so weak? The reason so many ministries are plagued with sin? They are not controlled by the head. Carnal reasoning runs the show. Everyone does what is right in their own eyes. Ekklesia Living is the only way these problems can truly be dealt with. We will finish looking at the ekklesia as a body in part 5. TABLE OF CONTENTS SUPPLYING ALL OUR NEEDS Part 5 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; Acts 2:44 T he farther we go in our study of the ekklesia, the more we come to the understanding that we are dealing with something that bears the imprint of God's own hand. It is not something man has worked-up and brought together through the scheming and crafty contrivances of religious imaginations. No, the Body of Christ, and its local manifestations called ekklesias, are undeniably the handiwork of Divine wisdom. In part 4 we began comparing the ekklesia to the human body. Discussed were the facts that every body has many parts but only one head, and that all the parts of the body must be connected to that head in order to function properly. In part 5 we begin by looking at the relationship of form to function, or pattern to purpose, in the body. Next we will progress through other body systems, examining their corresponding equivalents in the ekklesia. But first, let's look at some more good reasons for Ekklesia Living. CONSIDERATIONS If living together in an ekklesia is so great, if it is truly God's pattern for His people, then why aren't people running to join one? This is the perplexing question that we who live the ekklesia way often find ourselves mulling over. Yet if we look back at our own past, back to the time before we joined ourselves to the community, the answer is simple. The general rule of humanity is that people don't want to die. Everyone tries to preserve their lives and secure a quality of life that they are happy with for as long as possible. Probably the greatest difficulty most people face when challenged with Ekklesia Living is dying to themselves—the key component, along with the power of God, that makes Ekklesia Living possible. No doubt many see the beauty, the power, the comparatively fine quality of life experienced by those in the ekklesia, yet at the same time they see a coffin, a cross, an instrument of death with their name on it. It's enough to make even the most sincere truth seekers run and hide. The thought of giving up their independence and submitting their life to the scrutiny and control of others, no matter how capable or anointed, makes their skin crawl. The ones who make it past this hurdle are the ones who have heard the call of God, who have come to the realization that God is the one leading them into Ekklesia Living, and are determined to follow the Lord no matter the cost. They have come to the inescapable conclusion that they won't have any true peace in their lives until they answer that call. Sadly, the forces of independence, selfishness, pride and fear are so formidable that most are no match for them. Once they find out that self-sacrifice is the winning ticket they panic, give up the struggle and settle down in the church of their choice, hoping for the best. Eventually they convince themselves that God was never really calling them to be one of those holier-than-thou “fanatics” anyways. These kind are afraid to trust God with their lives. These kind are the ones whose carcases fall in the wilderness of religious death. Yet those who determine themselves to answer the call of God—no matter the cost—find that God quickly comes close to comfort and encourage them, enabling them with the strength they need to obey. The entire issue can be summed-up with one brutally searching question: Who do you love more, your self or God? Jesus eliminated any gray areas surrounding this question. As He so aptly put it, if you love me then you're going to obey me (John 14:15). Once you hear the call of God to Ekklesia Living you can do one of several things: 1. Flatly refuse, "No way Lord! That's not for me!" 2. Nicely refuse, "Thank you Lord, but I'd really rather not." 3. Procrastinate, "Lord I'm not ready yet. I need more time to think about it." 4. Doubt and accuse, "That can't be you Lord. Those people are crazy, brain-dead robots who live like that. They must be some kind of weird cult!" 5. Make excuses, "Lord my church really needs me. Plus, what about my family, my friends, my financial obligations, blah, blah, blah...?" 6. Obey, "Praise God! This is what I've been looking for! I see the sacrifice involved, but then look at all the benefits. I can hear the call of God, so what choice do I have but to answer? When I consider what Jesus did for me, who am I to say I won't die for Him?" Which category are you in friend? Think about it. If you finish this short series of articles with an open mind you qualify as one who has heard the call. And remember, you’re accountable for what you know. You won’t be able to plead ignorance any longer when it comes to the question of how God wants you to live. It is my prayer that you will make the only choice that is pleasing to God—answer the call in loving obedience and let God take control of your life! After living this way for many years, we have come to the sad realization that very few will make the choice to obey. It's not our fault. It's not God's fault. The fault lies with our original parents, Adam and Eve, who made a wrong choice in the beginning, cursing all humanity who was to come after them. When they were kicked out of the garden, God placed a cherubim with a flaming sword to guard the way back in. If you want to get back to the garden you're going to go through that fiery sword. In other words, you're going to let the fire and sword of God slay your proud, selfish, independent spirit. Once that destructive monster is struck down then, and only then, will you be free to partake of the joy, peace, and divine security that Ekklesia Living has to offer. There's no way around it. If you want to live then you must die. It's easy to understand, yet hard to accomplish. Take it from us: You'll never know how good it is until you try it. The dying only hurts for a little while, yet the rewards last for eternity. BACK TO THE BODY - FORM DETERMINED BY FUNCTION Did you know the cells that make up your brain are quite different than the ones that make up your bones and skin? Why? Each group or type of cells has been engineered to do a specific job. Their form or design is determined by what they have to do. And what's more, each type of cell is generally gathered in one location so that together they have the strength they need to do their job. This is why bones don't grow inside your lungs. If they did the machine wouldn't work like it should. This fact, that the cells are created and grouped together according to their function, is irrefutable proof that we are intelligently designed and organized by God himself in order to operate according to a perfectly engineered plan. The marks of intelligent design in the human body are so apparent that only a fool, or someone completely ignorant or brainwashed by too much humanistic education, would try to say that such a complex machine could have evolved by chance. That’s like saying the car you drive or the house you live in just appeared over time by chance. Yet, sadly enough, the world is full of fools and over-educated idiots. Just as it is in the human body, the function, purpose, and needs of the Body of Christ determine the shape or structure it must take. What this means, the point we are trying to make, is that there are many obvious and important reasons connected to or stemming from God's will for His people that make plain the fact that God's people are meant to live together. In other words, the design or pattern the Body of Christ must follow is determined by the purpose or task it is meant to accomplish. The purpose determines the pattern. The function determines the form. For example, as Christians we are commanded to bear one another's burdens, to love, serve and support each other in the Spirit. These activities are not just lofty platitudes we practice when we’re feeling spiritual. No, this type of activity is supposed to take place regularly, day by day throughout the course of our Christian life. How can these commands be effectively accomplished in any real way unless we live in close proximity to each other? How can God's leaders watch over, care for, and protect those under their care, which is their solemn responsibility as God's shepherds, unless they live with them? How can we fulfill the great commission, or accomplish any other major task for that matter, in ways that really count unless we live and work together as a team, combining our strength into a cohesive unit? The truth is that none of the many functions or purposes which God's body is supposed to do will ever be accomplished, they will never reach their fullest capacity or maximum potential, without the structure that Ekklesia Living provides. In fact, many will not even function at all, to the great detriment of God's people. Obviously, the nature of the tasks the Body of Christ must accomplish demands that the members live together. God has so much He wants to give us as obedient sons and daughters, yet we effectively cut ourselves off and limit His goodness by our choice of selfish, isolated, compartmentalized lifestyles. How can we expect to live with our brothers and sisters in the Lord for eternity if we can't stand to live with them now? We're only fooling ourselves if we think we can. THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB Most everyone can easily figure out that the job needing to be done determines the tool you select to do it. You don't drive nails with a saw, nor do you cut wood with a hammer. Well God has a job to do—perfecting, refining and transforming His people into the image of the pattern Son Jesus. Yet God can’t accomplish this wonderful plan, nor can His people truly serve Him in the fullness of what He desires, benefitting from the many blessings He has for them, if they are living isolated lives, separated from each other, like they do in 99.9% of the church world today. In order to drive a vehicle you have to get into the driver's seat and take hold of the steering wheel. You must be physically connected to the car in order to make it go where you want. How can God's leaders expect to guide God's people unless they live with them? Sure, the church world puts on a show with lots of boasting, man-made schemes, and inflated membership roles. They even include words like "community" and "support" in their religious jargon, but if you scratch the surface, underneath you'll discover a sickly, powerless, sin-ridden substitute claiming to belong to God. What a tragedy! There's no excuse either, for we have the pattern clearly laid out in God's Word. The problem lies with us. We're selfish, greedy, proud and independent, and the idea of living closely with anyone other than our immediate family repulses us. Take some time and ask God what He thinks about the idea. Be honest and don't put words in God's mouth He isn't saying. Ask Him what He thinks about Ekklesia Living. There's no way around it, there are no excuses that will stand up under the fire of real Holy Spirit scrutiny. The glorious truth is this: because of who they are and what God wants to do in and through them, God's people are meant to live together. How do we expect His Kingdom to come, His will to be done, on earth as it is in Heaven, if we can't stand to share our time, resources, and living space with those who serve the same God we do? We're nothing but liars and hypocrites, and the man-made church system supports us in our lies and hypocrisy, assuring us that God is pleased with our paltry 10% offerings and self-centered existence. God's people have been defrauded. They've been deprived of the incredible blessings, the unsearchable riches God has for an obedient people who will let Him totally control their lives. As for us, we intend to continue as living examples of the wonderful treasures Ekklesia Living has to offer, and with God's merciful help we will do it. SUPPLYING ALL OUR NEEDS Continuing with our comparison of the ekklesia to the human body, let's look at another important system. We understand that the life is in the blood (Lev. 17:11), yet how does that life get to the billions of cells that make up our body? We each have what is called a circulatory system: an extensive network of tubes or pipes-miles worth in fact-that supplies every cell in our body. These supply lines range in size from the major rivers called arteries down to the tiny rivulets called corpuscles through which only one cell at a time can flow, and amazingly, they are all interconnected. In addition to this amazing delivery system we have a powerful pump called the heart which begins working in our mother's womb months before we see daylight, and which keeps on going until the day we die; all with very little maintenance. In order to keep the blood flowing smoothly the pressure is regulated and fine-tuned by the pipes themselves as they contract and expand so that the blood flows efficiently throughout the body. To top it off, if our pipes get cut or punctured in most cases they can stop the flow of blood and repair themselves automatically! The miracle of blood clotting keeps us from bleeding to death. Undoubtedly, our circulatory system is another masterpiece of Divine engineering. The reason this system is so important is because every cell, or group of cells, in our entire body has to have what the blood supplies. If any part, even one cell, is cut off from the supply, it dies. Obviously all the cells must be connected to the flow one way or another in order to live. Jesus gave us the example of the vine and the branches in order to illustrate this important principle. He is the vine and we are the branches. As long as we are connected the life flows between us. If we are cut off from the vine we wither and die. A farmer could invest much in drilling a well and installing a pump, but if the water doesn't reach the plants they die. There are so many examples of this principle in the world that even a child can grasp the importance. Yet Christians are so dull, so dumb, selfish and rebellious they think it doesn't apply to them. They convince themselves that the tiny trickle of polluted water they get at church once a week is all they need. No wonder the Body of Christ is sick and dying; devastated by sin. Christians cut themselves off from God's life-giving flow by the way they live. Back to our comparison, in the ekklesia the flow of the Holy Spirit is like the blood. Each and every member needs to be continually connected to the "blood supply" in order to survive. The Spirit flow brings the life we so desperately need. Every aspect of our spiritual existence: growth, strength, joy, peace, love, and wisdom, is dependant upon how much we receive of that flow. Ekklesia Living is God's way of making sure we stay connected and get what we need. The Holy Spirit flows freely throughout the community of believers as they live in close proximity to each other all the time. Our network of pipes is in the Spirit; invisible to the human eye, yet the reality of its existence is easily proved by the quality of our life in Christ. Just ask a true Ekklesian about the life-flow of God's Spirit they receive on a daily basis. The Spirit life and the power of God flows continually through the body. From the leadership at the top who are swimming in God's rushing Spirit river, to the new convert who is splashing in the shallows, everyone gets what they need because they are all connected. Remember, being connected to Jesus and to each other is the key that unlocks the door to a vast fortune of spiritual experience in our lives. In contrast, the vast majority of church goers live miserably isolated lives. Unbeknownst to them they have convinced themselves that their independent, self-centered lifestyle is worth more than the continual flow of God's Spirit. They are comfortable with church. When they are faced with something more demanding than the paltry sacrifices and lukewarm commitment church expects they get nervous. If you press too hard they panic and start hurling names like “fanatics,” “works-oriented,” “self-righteous,” even “heretical,” in order to fend you off. We’ve heard them all over the years. Proponents of the church system will tell you that every believer has access to the Spirit flow through Jesus no matter if they live in community or not. Theoretically that's true. But what about the young, the new converts, the spiritually sick (demonized)? They need extra help, special attention, and God meets that need through the older, more mature members of His body. Yet if everyone lives in their own isolated space, coming together once or twice a week for a couple of hours to act out some dead church routine, how can those that need special attention get what they need? The truth is many don't. God looks down in disgust as precious souls backslide or remain spiritually retarded because His people are too selfish to live together, too independent to let God integrate them into a system which can help people (including themselves) in meaningful ways. KEEPING IT PURE Just as there are several organs in the body whose purpose is to cleanse and regulate the blood flow, in the ekklesia God fortifies, enriches, purifies, and regulates the Spirit flow through the five-fold ministry consisting of: Apostles; Prophets; Evangelists; Pastors; Teachers (Eph. 4:11). Just like the physical organs in the body affect the blood, these five ministries act like major organs that affect the Spirit flow. Remember, every part of the body needs what the other parts supply. It is the responsibility of the leaders and elders whom God has entrusted with these ministries to monitor the Spirit flow, making sure it stays pure and uncontaminated from the poisons of sin and worldliness, as well as ensuring no one is cut off and everyone gets what they need. As we obey the command of our King to reach out and evangelize, we can share the wonderful blessings of the Spirit life with those in the world around us. Ekklesia Living is a wonderful system that works beautifully when God's people will die to their selfish desires and cooperate with His plans. From studying the human body we have learned that the condition of the physical environment greatly affects how well the circulatory system works. The multitudes that perish from heart disease every year bear witness to this grim reality. If the arteries become clogged the blood doesn't flow properly. When the blood doesn't flow people die. Don't expect to live long if your kidneys or liver fail. So it is in the body of Christ. If we don't keep the Spirit flow clean and unhindered it's just a matter of time until we perish. Christians that live by themselves are forced to fight much, much harder to establish and maintain an environment conducive to the Spirit flow. The odds are against them. It takes a lot of energy and determination to fend off the continual encroachment of the world. Let’s not forget the vicious attacks launched by Satan and his cohorts combined with the relentless pressure of our inherited sinful nature. The hard truth is until Christians reach Heaven they are in for a hell of a battle. Thank God for His merciful help, for without it we don’t stand a chance. One reason why so many go to church is because they honestly long for fellowship. They know they need help to maintain God's standard in their lives and they look for it at church. What a cheap, shabby, insufficient substitute church offers God's people! In contrast, Ekklesia Living provides the unified strength and militant structure needed to maintain a pure, holy, uncontaminated environment in which God's Spirit freely flows and God’s people flourish. God desires to make it easier for us to love and serve Him, yet it's up to us to follow His plan. Many times throughout life we are impacted by forces beyond our control. We get hurt; bitterness, accusation and unforgiveness set in. Maybe we don’t get what we want; anger and ungratefulness flare up. Countless things can cause poisonous reactions which will cut us off from the flow. What's worse is once we get sick we inevitably start to release our own poison into the flow which adversely affects others in the community. Situations like these must be quickly remedied or else others will suffer. Just as the liver cleanses the blood of toxic elements which have somehow entered the body, a properly functioning ekklesia, whose leadership is governed by the Spirit of God, will cleanse its members from the many toxic problems that inevitably crop up as we walk with the Lord. We need God's merciful grace! THERE'S POWER IN THE BLOOD So far we have compared the blood that flows in our physical bodies with the flow of the Spirit that permeates the ekklesia. Yet it would benefit us to take a closer look at the actual blood of Jesus that stained the soil of calvary. The blood of Jesus is so important that one of the only two sacraments Jesus gave us is concerned with it. When we take communion we are partaking of His blood both symbolically and spiritually. We know that Jesus physically shed His blood on the cross in one location, at one time in history, yet in the Spirit that few quarts of blood became a vast ocean which covers the entire earth. Since that monumental sacrifice which forever did away with all other sacrifices, the blood of Jesus became a life-giving spiritual substance available to all men everywhere. In fact, you must come into contact with that blood, and by it be cleansed of your sins, in order to become an actual member of the body of Christ. The power in that blood is unequaled anywhere in the entire universe, for it is the very blood of God which He willingly spilled in order to redeem us and rescue us from the power of sin. It is the supreme expression of His love towards us. As we walk through our life with God the blood of Jesus is ever-present to cleanse us as we repent, for nothing else can deal with the sin problem, only the blood. If we intend to continue with the Lord and eventually reach Heaven, we must have constant, uninterrupted access to that blood. God understands that need and has already moved to meet it. The way a Spirit-led ekklesia is designed to function ensures that the members have the opportunity to come before God on a regular basis, repenting and being cleansed by the blood. Just as our heart keeps the blood flowing throughout our body, the leadership makes sure the blood of Jesus circulates freely throughout the community, doing their best to make sure everyone stays in contact with it. It's the leaders' responsibility to keep the camp clean and in right standing with God, and the blood of Jesus is the only cleanser that can tackle that kind of job. As soon as the blood stops flowing the sin starts growing. Inevitably, that loathsome disease called idolatry sets in and we cut ourselves off from God. It becomes obvious why Jesus told us, "this do in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19), referring to that solemn sacrament called communion wherein we partake of the broken body and shed blood of the Lord. The blood can't do its job unless we regularly partake of it. Again, the burden rests with us. Jesus made the way, now it's up to us to walk in it. Another very important reason why we must have continual access to the blood of Jesus is because, as His disciples, we are engaged in an ongoing battle against evil spiritual forces that seek to destroy us. We are in a war, and the blood of Jesus is one of the most powerful weapons at our command. As we face the battle and apply the blood to circumstances, situations, and people through which the enemy is working, he is smashed, confounded, and decisively defeated. He cannot stand against the blood of Jesus. This is but one more important reason why the circulatory system in the ekklesia must remain free-flowing. Our very survival as Christians depends on it. Attempting to walk with God without the blood of Jesus would be like going to war without any weapons—spiritual suicide! There is no substitute for the blood of Jesus. As our lives are brought together by Ekklesia Living, we are constantly reminding each other of the power we have available through the blood of Jesus. No one wants to see their brothers or sisters defeated. Nobody wants to see their fellow soldiers die. The blood of Jesus guarantees us the victory if we will only use it. The ekklesia pattern is God's way of turning a bunch of worthless, no-account sinners into spiritual soldiers who are able to fight and win. By God's merciful provision we are able to secure our survival in the Spirit and ensure the survival of others as well. The blood of Jesus is the key. In contrast, churchgoers may theoretically know all about the blood, even hear sermons and read books about it, yet as soon as the service is over they scamper back to their own world and dive headfirst into the sick syndrome of a self-centered existence. In word they belong to Jesus, in deed they belong to the world. There is no separation. Their lives are a mixed bag full of covetousness, fleshly lust, the pride of life, and all manner of idolatry. The tragedy is that they attribute the whole ugly mess to Jesus. They may have even had an experience with Jesus at one time, yet because of the lack of sound teaching and the undisciplined church environment they've been bogged down in the treacherous quagmire of ritualistic religious death. They’ve partaken too deeply of the world’s poison all dressed up in its Sunday best. Instead of proclaiming the gospel truth and battling against sin in order to rescue lost and dying souls, they play the twisted, fantasy game called church. What a shame when the blood of Jesus is there all the while waiting to cleanse and empower them that they could live a victorious, sin-free life dedicated to the cause of Christ. THE BLOOD MAKES THE DIFFERENCE How wonderful it is that the nature and design of the ekklesia pattern ensures continual contact with the blood of Jesus. The Body of Christ enjoys great circulation. No sign of heart disease here, just free-flowing Spirit life. The nature of church life ensures a painfully slow spiritual death; often physical death too because the church crowd is quite fond of satisfying their carnal appetites. When man is in control people die--for the wrong reasons! Ekklesians are constantly reminded that they are different. God is in control! Regular Spirit-filled teaching, preaching and exhortation clarifies and reinforces the understanding that they are meant to be in the world but not of it. The blood sets them apart. They know who their King is and they spend their days worshiping Him and laboring joyfully in His service. They value their spiritual health. Being mercifully rescued from the death sentence of sin they are determined to fight long and hard to maintain their liberty. Creating a clean, consecrated atmosphere in which true spiritual growth can flourish is high on their priority list. As they consider the beautiful, innocent children with which they've been blessed their hearts are set aflame with the desire to fight desperately against the destructive forces of worldliness and sin. In the end it proves out that all the struggle, discipline, and self-sacrificing submission is worth it. Ekklesians enjoy a quality of life enriched with true peace, joy and fulfillment unequaled by any other way of life. The secret? Jesus is in our midst. That explains it all! TABLE OF CONTENTS Our Defense Systems Part 6 L ong ago our Lord told us that those who are persecuted for righteousness sake are blessed. He admonished us to rejoice and be glad when men speak evil of us falsely for His sake, telling us that we would be sharing the company of great men of God who have gone on before us. The scripture tells us in another place that all who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (Matt. 5:10-12; 2 Tim. 3:12). These are strong indicators, actually a guarantee, that persecution and suffering at the hands of the world are the reward we receive when we strive to live true to our Master. Surely it is an honor and a privilege to suffer for the sake of the Savior who endured so much for us. So far we’ve learned that true ekklesias are made up of true disciples. True disciples are those determined to live godly in Christ Jesus. Following this line of thought leads us to the conclusion that the ekklesia is bound to suffer persecution. Ekklesia Living is no safeguard against persecution. On the contrary, Ekklesia Living draws it like a magnet. From its inception over 20 years ago our ekklesia has had the honor of experiencing persecution, in varying degrees, on many occasions. This is important because it lets us know that we are on the right track. The only time the enemy should leave the true Christian alone is when you are dead. As long as we are alive and kicking, raising hell for the Kingdom of our God, we should expect backlash from the demonic realm—persecution. Considering persecution is a normal part of the Christian life then God must have a purpose for it. Somehow it must fit into His plans. The answer to this puzzling question lies in the principle that God will use all things for the good of those that love Him. Persecution is no exception. The reason we mention this subject is because in this part of our series we continue to develop the comparison between the ekklesia and the human body. More specifically we must look at our defense systems—the mechanisms God has put in place to keep us alive and well in a world bent on our destruction. Undoubtedly, the majority of our battles are fought in our mind, therefore it is important we understand the ways which the Spirit helps and strengthens us to deal with persecution. More than being able to physically endure hardship and suffering, we must understand why it’s happening and how the Spirit has equipped us to deal with it. When everything seems dark and the heat is on it is especially comforting to know that God will use all these things, no matter how painful or discouraging, for our good as we continue to trust and obey. This knowledge is an important component of our defense, for it buoys us up when we come under attack, filling us with the hope and assurance that God is in control. SPIRITUAL BODY BUILDING Those of us who are determined to serve God in this life, who take our discipleship seriously, soon find that we can't do it ourselves. We just don't have what it takes. Our strength fails. Unless we cry out to God for help we won't finish our course. In the physical realm when people seek to strengthen themselves they regulate their diet and increase their exercise, which often includes lifting weights. These methods are proven to increase your physical health and strength. The same principles hold true in the Spiritual realm. Here’s how it works. God's principle of holiness regulates our diet, restricting us from feasting on the filth of the world. The deeper we fall in love with Jesus the more the world and its sinful ways sicken us. We stick to God’s table for our nourishment. When it comes to spiritual exercise and weightlifting God has some unique ways of keeping us in shape. Reaching out to the lost (our great commission) as well as serving our brothers and sisters in Christ are excellent opportunities to exercise our love and faith, causing them to grow stronger. “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Another set of spiritual exercises we can do involves self-denial. Over the years we have proven the effectiveness of these techniques to strengthen us in the spirit. Fasting is a mighty weapon that the enemy fears. Establishing regular patterns of fasting and denial in the diet realm helps keep us lean, alert and ready for battle in the spirit. We call it consecration. Denying your carnal appetites is a spiritual exercise that has benefitted serious disciples down through the ages. Why all this denial anyway? The ugly reason is our carnal, beastly nature is never satisfied. The flesh always wants something else, something more, to satisfy its lust. This can be a terrible vexation as we seek to serve the Lord. In fact, the enemy will use our own flesh as a weapon against us in order to slow us down or even stop us from following God. One way we counter these assaults is through self-denial. This is important for us to understand as it will greatly strengthen us, and becoming stronger is essential because our level of strength in the Spirit helps determine how well our defense systems work. Just as it is in the physical, the same holds true in the Spirit. The stronger you are the better you can defend yourself, the better your chances for survival. The enemy looks for our weak spots, our soft underbelly so to speak. He aims for those parts because he knows that is where he can easily penetrate and do the most damage. God looks for those parts as well, yet for a different reason. He wants to find our weak spots in order to make them strong. Denying ourselves is one sure way God strengthens our weak areas. STRENGTH THROUGH SUFFERING Another set of spiritual exercises God puts us through involves persecution. These ordeals can come in many forms and levels of intensity. Practicing the principle of loving our enemies takes a degree of spiritual strength that we don't often have. Even though Jesus gave us this command, and we may be ready and willing to carry it out, often it can be hard to love your enemies. To make things worse sometimes you don't even know who your enemies really are. Persecution takes care of this. One benefit of persecution is that it identifies our enemies, giving us a wonderful opportunity to pray for them. As we are attacked, and we respond according to God's principles, our strength grows in great measure. Another benefit of persecution is that it works to bind us together as a team, or fighting unit, multiplying our strength and further enhancing our defense systems. True, persecution is never pleasant, yet as we take it to the Lord in prayer the benefits we gain are well worth the struggle and the pain. Remember what our Master told us, “because they hate me, they're going to hate you as well” (John 15:18-20). Fellowshipping the sufferings of our Lord through persecution is an honor and privilege that not all Christians are ready to embrace. Yet when we are willing to suffer for His sake, counting it as a blessing, we gain a special place of closeness to the One who suffered for us. As well as strengthening us, persecution also performs another important function, that of cleansing and purifying. The Bible talks about how our faith is purified by fiery trials in order that it may be brought forth like pure gold (I Peter 1:7). Often those fiery trials come in the form of persecution. When the heat is on we begin to evaluate ourselves more closely. Much superfluous, unnecessary junk that accumulates on and around us is thrown into the flames. The fire burns away our religious facades and man-made masks, purifying us and making us real. Our motives are exposed for what they really are, allowing us to get straightened out if need be. The hardship and pressure caused by persecution actually forces us to ask ourselves all over again, "How much do I really love Jesus? Am I willing to suffer for the sake of the One who suffered for me?" These are penetrating questions many refuse to face. Tying this into our subject, God is undoubtedly concerned about the defense of His body here on earth. The fact is when we are cleansed, purified, and strengthened we are better able to deal with the forces seeking to destroy us. Everyone knows that a strong, healthy human body is less likely to succumb to every sickness it encounters. The same holds true for our spiritual body. We fully understand that God is our defense, yet an important part of the way He defends us is by increasing the strength of our commitment to Him and purifying the motives and intents of our hearts. In other words, God defends us by making us better able to defend ourselves. Self-denial and persecution are two methods God uses to fine-tune us, increasing our spiritual strength. He is glorified when we can victoriously survive enemy attacks as well as bring forth fruit in His Kingdom. From a carnal point of view God's methods may seem difficult, even painful. Yet as we keep focused on the fact that God is in control and His mercies to us are endless, we find that our obedience brings us out on top. If we are willing to sacrifice a measure of carnal pleasure (which never truly satisfies), we will gain spiritual treasure that is ours for eternity. DEFENDING OURSELVES IN OTHER WAYS Going back to our physical body, we find that we are equipped with some amazingly intricate defense systems which are rugged, sensitive, and flexible. We are built to last. Anything that weakens us, incapacitates us, or shortens our life span can usually be traced back to self-inflicted abuse or neglect. Although there may be things in our living environment that adversely affect us from without, these account for only a small part of the problem. Generally we’re to blame. We abuse ourselves by eating foods proven to be unhealthy. We eat how much and whatever we like, ignoring the consequences until it's too late. We neglect exercise because we're lazy. We won't exercise until we can't exercise. We live in sin because we're inherently cursed rebels on God. The wages of sin is death, and in our rebellious stupidity we eagerly clamor for our paycheck. All these factors combine to undermine our built-in defense systems, taking years off our lives. What's worse is that much of our life that does remain is rendered useless because we’ve become incapacitated by bad health. Undoubtedly, we are our own worst enemy. On a positive note, let’s look at some of the wonderful ways our body protects itself in the physical. Our bodies are strengthened and guarded by several defense systems: our skin, that incredibly durable barrier between us and the world; our senses of sight, sound, taste, and smell that warn us of danger; our elimination processes, including nausea and vomiting, that work to cleanse us of contamination; at the cellular level we have a highly complex immune system which constantly patrols our internal environment, waging war against invaders that seek to harm us. In addition we have the command center called the brain which is constantly monitoring our physical condition, gathering information and learning from our mistakes in order to ensure our survival. Each of these systems is a wonder in its own right, yet the wisdom of Divine design has gone a step further, integrating these components so that they supplement, compliment, and support each other in many amazing ways. When it comes to survival we have a system that can't be beat. Like the other systems we examined in previous segments of this study, the components of our defense also have spiritual counterparts in the ekklesia. How do these physical systems translate into Ekklesia Living? THE SKIN First we have the skin: a barrier that surrounds the entire body. Once we determine to separate ourselves from the world, grouping together into ekklesias, the rules and standards of God by which we live become our protective covering. Just like the skin protects the body in environments that are often harmful and destructive, God's rules and standards protect us from the forces of sin and worldliness that constantly attack us. The key to the success of this system is the understanding that we must strive to stay separate from the sin-ridden world. We must be in the world but not of it. In other words, we must cultivate an attitude of separation. We must never forget that as disciples and soldiers of the cross of Christ we are different. We live by another set of rules. It's those rules that preserve us from the many destructive forces that seek to invade and conquer us. Of course we know that ultimately God is our protection, yet God is the one who gave us the rules! We prove to God that we love Him and we want His covering over us by our willingness to uphold His standards for all to see. Ultimately, it's up to us to live by God's rules and uphold His standards. This is something we can do—a choice that we make which keeps us covered. In addition to the wisdom of living by God’s rules we have another covering, another skin so to speak, which is of divine, supernatural origin—God's covering of mercy and love over us! This spiritual skin is in a realm all by itself—the realm of the miraculous. It far surpasses our ability to protect ourselves, for often we fall short of obedience and let His standard fall to the ground. If it wasn't for God's loving care over us we would certainly be finished. In His great mercy and love God thwarts the enemy's attacks which would otherwise destroy us. He protects us from deceptive tricks, traps, and our own idolatrous stupidity for no other reason than that He loves us. Amazingly, God even makes our blunders work for our good as we humble ourselves and practice the attitude of gratitude. He teaches us valuable lessons through our mistakes, turning the enemy's crafty schemes and evil strategies into victories for us. Only God can do this. We desperately need the protective covering of His mercy and love, both individually and over the ekklesia as a whole, and we should never be ashamed to admit it. Another point to consider is the inherent healing properties of our natural skin. Cuts and abrasions break through our protective covering all the time. Thank God the ability to repair itself is built into the skin's design. Blood coagulates and stops flowing at the site of the wound and the skin cells begin rebuilding and replacing the damaged area until it is healed. All this takes place automatically, behind the scenes. What a miracle! If this system stops working for any reason we stand the chance of bleeding to death. Just as with our natural skin, we can damage our spiritual covering as well, and when we do we have trouble. Rebellion, lust of the flesh, pride, idolatry—sins of every type damage our spiritual skin. In our stupidity we make lesions, gaping wounds, in our covering that open us up to enemy attack. In other words, sin opens the door for the devil. Thank God that through the humility of repentance, dominion, deliverance and careful obedience even the nastiest wound can be healed. When we make a breach in the wall we must come to God on our knees, begging Him to heal us and make our covering whole again lest the enemy come in like a flood and destroy us. Thank God protection is just a prayer away. A DANGEROUS TRAP At this point it would be wise to mention a dangerous trap into which many modern Christians fall. The deception involves getting the wrong idea that you can take God's mercy for granted. When this happens people inevitably begin to abuse His mercy. Naturally, when the skin is abused and mistreated its protective strength is undermined and greatly weakened. As the deception grows deeper, people begin to imagine they deserve God’s mercy and that He owes it to them. They convince themselves that it will always be there no matter how they act. As a result they twist God's mercy into a license to sin. Yet anyone who truly comes to know the Lord in a deeper way soon finds out that God is not mocked. Don't be deceived. God is under no obligation to us. He is able to withdraw His mercy at any time and leave us locked in our sins with no chance of escape. Those who fall into the trap of abusing God's mercy often end up reprobate, thinking God is covering them as they continue in willful sin. The modern church scene is full of these characters. The truth is God has left them to themselves. Tragically, they won’t realize this until they die in their sins and then it will be too late! Everything will be made plain when they stand before God and they are separated from Him for eternity because they abused His mercy to the point of no return. OUR SENSES AND DISCERNMENT Another important component of our defense system is our set of physical senses. In the physical we have our sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch that keep us aware of the world around us. We use these senses continually in so many ways that we take them for granted. Yet put on a blindfold or plug your ears and you will quickly find out how difficult it is to operate without their help. How do these sensory components work in the ekklesia? First of all, we must remember that in essence each ekklesia is a spiritual entity. It follows that in the ekklesia, aside from the physical world, we look at things from a spiritual perspective as well. Like any other body, the Body of Christ on earth has all the usual sensory components, eyes, ears, nose, etc. Yet in the ekklesia they operate by a different principle. Unlike the physical body which relies on the natural functioning of its senses, the Body of Christ utilizes these components on a spiritual level through a power we call discernment (I Cor. 2:14). Undoubtedly, the gift of discernment is one of the most valuable things God has bestowed upon His body. In the ekklesia we learn to see, hear, and feel in the Spirit. (This is why the church is in such a sad state—totally conquered by the world. Discernment among God's people has become atrophied through lack of use. You may as well not have it at all if you don’t use it.) Undoubtedly, the gift of spiritual discernment operating in us keeps us alive and alert to the attacks of the enemy. In the physical we look and listen for things that may harm us. Originally God designed our senses that we could fully enjoy the beauty and wonder of His creation. Yet ever since sin entered the picture our senses have become tools for survival, helping us stay alive in environments that are often harsh and unforgiving—even deadly. The same is true in the Spirit, yet spiritually speaking we are also called upon to make judgements as to what is good and evil, right and wrong. This is the reason why the modern church has become spiritually blind, deaf and dumb: no one wants to take the responsibility for judging sin. No one wants to call sin for what it is—especially in others. They want everything to stay nice, friendly, comfortable, and DEAD! Yet if sin is not removed from the body the inescapable fact is that eventually it will cause death. This is why discernment is so important: it is God's way of keeping His people spiritually alive and healthy. Undoubtedly our deadliest problem is SIN. Sin comes in many forms and it is our job, with God’s help, to detect it and remove it before it does damage. This is where discernment comes into play as a vital component of our defense. In the natural we feel the heat and quickly move away from something that is about to burn us. In the Spirit we can feel the fire of lust burning in us and we attempt to quickly quench the flame. If we take a wrong turn and lose our way we soon look around and realize we are lost. When we take a wrong path in the spirit our discernment will alert us to danger, causing us to seek God for direction before we run into trouble. When we hear someone speaking lies and false doctrine we discern it with our spiritual ears, countering it with the truth before we fall in the ditch of deception. When food goes bad we can tell immediately by the taste and smell. When books, magazines, music, or videos come into the ekklesia we use our discernment to examine the content. If it stinks and is rotten (not meeting God's standard) we throw it out. In doing this we protect ourselves and our children from being poisoned by worldliness. Discernment is very important. Yet, just as importantly, it must be followed by action. Many people know that their activities are killing them yet they won't do anything about it. They understand the concept of sin. They know the difference between right and wrong. They are fully aware of the damage being done. Yet lack of action on their part seals their fate. Countless people self-destruct, knowing full well the reason why, but they won't do anything to stop it. The Holy Spirit can gift us with the sharpest discernment, yet if we won't act on that discernment then it does us little good. Another point about discernment is that, like many other things, if you don't regularly exercise it soon you won't be able to. If you don't use it you lose it. Then you won't have anyone to blame but yourself when you are tricked, trapped, or poisoned to death by sin. SYSTEMS THAT TAKE ACTION In the human body we have two systems specially designed to deal with problems in a concrete way. First we have the system of elimination that involves vomiting. Feelings of nausea, followed by vomiting, is one way the body gets rid of foreign elements that are making it sick. If you eat something rotten or poisonous your body automatically knows what to do. It will try to vomit out the problem. Of course this is never pleasant, and we can also vomit for other reasons, nevertheless it is an important part of our defense. When alcoholics go overboard and try to poison themselves to death with liquor, they find out that the body is working against them to preserve itself. When enough alcohol is consumed the body reacts violently with nausea and vomiting. Secondly, we have our regular systems of elimination that work on a daily basis to cleanse the body of the waste products that accumulate in the course of normal activities like eating and drinking. These systems are very important, for if the waste products are not readily removed they will soon reach toxic levels and make us very ill. Chronic constipation, resulting in bowel cancer, along with kidney failure, knock multitudes of people out of the race of life every year. Each of these mechanisms has its counterpart in the ekklesia. Let’s look at the first one. When someone goes bad in the community, choosing to yield themselves to rebellion, lust, envy, or any other hateful sin, something has to be done. Right away the offender’s behavior starts making others sick. When personally confronted most will generally admit their guilt, feel bad and repent. Yet if it proves out they really don't want to change, evidenced by continually falling back into the same sin over and over, then leadership must take action for the sake of the rest of the body. Let's say Bob has a problem with sexual lust. He has been confronted several times, repented, and even had a few demons cast out. Yet the women carefully avoid him because he can't seem to keep his hands to himself. He keeps falling back into the same behavior. Soon it becomes obvious that, regardless of what Bob says, he doesn't really want to change. In order to protect the female soldiers the leadership must do something to remedy the situation. Soon Bob is asked to leave. Hopefully this drastic action will cause Bob to wake up and do business with the Lord. If he does eventually have a change of heart, and God is satisfied that his repentance is genuine, then he can be restored. Sin must be judged and the Bible gives instructions on how to proceed (Matt. 18:15-17). In some cases disfellowship, otherwise known as the ban, or shunning, can be brought to bear on the offender. In this way the person is isolated from the rest of the community in hopes that they will see themselves and change their behavior. If this doesn't work then ultimately the person must be removed. In other words, their sin makes the Body of Christ sick to the point that it will vomit them out. This is the final step in dealing with these kinds of problems. Operations of this nature are very delicate, requiring a mature spiritual hand guided by God in order to keep damage to a minimum. Sin is always ugly. Unrepentant sin, hidden under the guise of Christianity, is the ugliest of all. Hypocrisy is a deadly enemy we must all guard against. Thank God for the probing and purifying of the Holy Spirit that works to keep us honest, upright and clean. The second system has to do with waste removal—taking out the trash so to speak. You think, “What’s the big deal? Everybody gets rid of their trash.” True, yet not everybody lives in an ekklesia that doubles as a war machine. Individuals and single families live by different rules. Dealing with accumulated trash is not nearly as critical for smaller family groups as it is in an ekklesia which may have anywhere from a couple dozen to several hundred people. The system of waste removal in the ekklesia which corresponds with the body’s system of elimination comes down to rules of living that keep the physical environment clean. During the business of day to day life we inevitably seem to generate and accumulate an enormous amount stuff—some of it useful, much of it trash. This continual build up of stuff has to be dealt with. The fact is God has a high standard for His people. Keeping the camp clean and free from unnecessary clutter is high on the ekklesia’s priority list. Why? Unsanitary conditions and piles of junk lying around effect the efficiency of the war machine. Things naturally get dirty in real life. Regularly enforced cleaning schedules are the answer. It’s been proven that careful sanitation practices lead to better health (God already knew that). Sick soldiers don’t fight like they should. Beside cleanliness, too much junk can easily become a problem. Not only does it get in the way, it can lead to attacks of that dreaded disease called idolatry which can easily lead to death. Stupid humans that we are, if we get all we want all the time we inevitably begin to worship it. “Are you saying we have to get rid of everything?” Hardly. We make use of all kinds of stuff and things as the war machine rolls ahead. Yet ideally the war machine only uses what it needs. It’s hard to move fast when you’re weighted down with piles of unnecessary clutter. Some won’t even move at all because they don’t want to disturb their cozy nest lined with their favorite trinkets and creature comforts. The war machine has to be ready to move and move fast at any time. Flexibility is a key to combat readiness. God’s people are meant to a mean, lean (and clean) fighting machine. Accordingly it becomes the duty of God’s appointed leaders to maintain high standards of both spiritual and physical cleanliness, along with enforcing restrictions on excessive amounts of non-essential materialism. In this way God keeps us healthy and strong; our minds focused on pleasing our Captain and finishing the race instead of continually combating sickness or worrying about how much stuff we can accumulate. Thank God He keeps us clean and makes sure we take out the trash. THE POLICE STATE WITHIN Did you know our physical bodies have another amazing defense system which is continually at work on the cellular level? Invisible to the eye, yet very real, it is that component of our immune system that patrols our internal environment night and day. When men discovered that it was microscopic bacteria and viruses that were causing much of mankind's suffering, they also discovered that our human body has highly efficient ways of dealing with these invaders. Of course we know that our body is made up of a great multitude of cells, and each and every cell is important and designed to play its part in the body. Being more than just a huge mass of tissue, all of our cells are specialized into different groups or types and designed by God to perform specific tasks. Nerve cells carry messages. Muscle cells stretch and contract at our command. In our blood stream we find several different types of cells. One particularly important group are the white blood cells. According to God's magnificently wise design it is this group of cells that act like an internal police force, continually seeking out and destroying harmful elements that make their way into our body. These white cells are armed with their own intricate discernment mechanism which enables them to identify enemies of our system. Once a problem is identified, like a bacteria or virus, the white cell goes into action, attacking and devouring the offender. These tiny police are on guard throughout our body around the clock for our entire life. Space does not allow us a more detailed description. Let it suffice to say that without these cells we would soon succumb to sicknesses of every type. The AIDS plague that is ravaging the earth is so deadly precisely because it attacks our white blood cells. It knocks out our defense system, and you know the rest of the story: people with AIDS die from even minor illnesses that would otherwise be easily handled by a healthy body. We can clearly see the counterpart to this incredibly efficient system working in the ekklesia. In order to remain strong and healthy in the Spirit, it is critical that the internal environment of the ekklesia be kept clean and functioning according to God's standards of holiness, obedience, and love. Negative influences from the world around us must be diligently eliminated. Just as it works in our physical body, ekklesians perform specific tasks which God appoints them. Members concentrate their energy on the primary job to which they are assigned, yet many are active in more than one field. Regardless of their individual jobs, every member of the ekklesia must at the same time act like a white blood cell, becoming skilled at discernment and then taking action to eliminate enemy activity. Just like our body, the ekklesia is under continual surveillance with every member doing their part to police the environment. This is God's plan to keep us spiritually healthy and clean and it works wonderfully. When everyone is on guard, problems are quickly pinpointed and dealt with. This way sin is not allowed to fester and grow, keeping damage to a bare minimum. A VERY REAL WARFARE The reality of the warfare in which we are engaged makes it obvious that every disciple must be a soldier, ready to defend and protect themselves from spiritual attack. Whether someone lives in an ekklesia or not, it is every Christian's duty to walk in holiness and fight against the forces of sin. Living in an ekklesia just makes our struggle for spiritual survival that much easier, and much more important as well, for the lives of others, especially children, are at stake. After experiencing Ekklesia Living for even a short while it occurs to those who truly love the Lord that they have found something special, something worth fighting for. Consequently, instead of fighting only for themselves, they soon desire to play their part in defending the entire community. They join the internal police force, becoming another white blood cell, so to speak. The spirits of teamwork and comradeship run high as ekklesians work together to defeat a common foe. As well as patrolling the overall environment of the ekklesia, it is just as important that each member recognizes their responsibility to keep themselves clean and free from sin. Remember that the ekklesia is made up of individuals, and the condition of the individual members determines the condition of the whole. If sin is left undealt with it becomes a most deadly force that can quickly knock you out of the race and poison others as well. As each soldier adopts a militant stance in the Spirit, the combined force creates an environment of holiness and love wherein Jesus is pleased to walk and we are privileged to live. We're all in this together and we aggressively confront the enemy as a team. Whenever idolatry tries to raise its wicked head it’s everyone's job to crush it. When the poison of worldliness seeps in it’s everyone’s job to expose the filth, clean up the mess, and take out the garbage. When someone develops a bad attitude everyone smells it; soon it is confronted and dealt with. When someone gives in to rebellion they quickly find that the entire community is against them. In this way the task of preserving an environment that is pleasing to the Lord falls not only on the shoulders of the leadership but on the entire community. When the ekklesia system is functioning properly, each member doing their part, the enemy has a hard time infiltrating. He is opposed on every hand because each member is on guard. Being soldiers, we understand that our own personal health, safety and happiness is in the balances, as well as that of our family and friends. No one who truly loves the Lord wants to see young people scarred by sin. Those of us who have been saved from the depths of sin feel strongly about this. Our great desire is to spare our children the shame we went through due to foolish, rebellious choices. We don’t believe you have to experience sin to find out how destructive it is. We do believe it is God’s wisdom to learn from the mistakes of others. Therefore we fight hard to uphold the high and holy standard our God demands, all the while teaching our young people the value of walking in God’s ways. Often the battle is hard and we are tempted to sink beneath the crushing weight of defeat or give in to the discouraging reality that our carnal nature is an enemy of God. Praise God the Holy Spirit is ours to lead and empower us as we determine to fight the good fight of faith, never giving up. What more can we ask for than to have the Lord God Almighty lead us into battle! EKKLESIA LIVING IS THE ANSWER In closing this segment outlining the similarities between the ekklesia and the human body, we want to once again state the purpose for this series of articles on Ekklesia Living. The wisdom of God made apparent in the ekklesia system is so deep that it is often unfathomable to our carnal, sin-stained minds. Who can know the depth of God's love for His people? Who can grasp a love so real, so strong, that it caused the Creator of the universe to suffer humility and death at the hands of His own wicked, rebellious creation in hopes of redeeming even one? Do we value enough the amazing grace, the incredible mercy, that has spared us from the eternal damnation we so rightly deserve? The fact that we have been given another chance to make things right and walk with our creator as He desires should cause us to continually bow down in praise and thanksgiving. What a friend we have in Jesus! At the same time the wisdom of God is so beautifully high and lofty, so simple and easy to understand, that it will lift us up and cause us to soar in joy. As our hearts rise in praise and adoration of the One who has given us this treasure we can almost hear the angels sing. This is the reason we take the time and effort to explain, to magnify, to share what we have found—we want others to experience this treasure along with us! As we let God direct our lives, perfecting us in the art of Ekklesia Living, we know that it brings pleasure and joy to our Master. Jesus died for us, we must live for Him. In our darkened minds we are often at a loss as to how this can be done. Yet in His abundant mercy He has shown us the way—the way of loving obedience and sacrifice for the sake of others. Ekklesia Living is unquestionably the answer to the question that asks how God wants His people to live. Why not join with us and let Jesus Himself show you how wonderful life can be when He is in charge? TABLE OF CONTENTS You're In The Army Now! Part 7 S o far in our series we have covered many important points regarding what an ekklesia is and what it’s not. We've looked closely at discipleship and what it takes to live in an ekklesia. Our primary goal in delivering these messages is to present the facts in order to build a case that proves to all who are interested that Ekklesia Living is the way God desires His people to live. We never seem to tire of expounding upon the many benefits and blessings, the countless opportunities for spiritual growth Ekklesia Living has to offer the serious Christian. In our last segment we compared the ekklesia with the human body—and what an amazing comparison it makes! We marveled at the divine design that runs parallel in both. What a privilege to be personal friends with the designer Himself. In part 7 we are going to join the army. Besides being a unified body with all the vital, life-sustaining systems that only the wisdom of God could have created, God's people are also trained up to be spiritual soldiers. Now everybody knows that soldiers belong to an army. Yes, God has an army—an army that sheds no blood as we like to say—and every true follower of Jesus will eventually find themselves on active duty in God’s army one way or another. The disciple sincerely in love with his Master will soon be crying out for deeper spiritual experiences than church has to offer. It’s only natural, for the people of God are meant to be trained, disciplined, and joined together as a spiritual fighting machine. God's war machine is like none other. We are the army that sheds no blood, built and commanded by God for some very specific purposes. First, God desires we win the war against sin and regain our position as heirs of His Kingdom. Next we must take dominion over God's and our enemies, rescuing lost souls from eternal damnation as we reconcile them to their Creator who alone can forgive their sin. What a privilege to be given the chance to enlist in God's service! What a joy to be trained by the Lord himself, sacrificing our lives for such a noble cause. Many people spend their entire lives searching for a cause worth fighting for yet never find it. We've found one! There is nothing more rewarding than pushing through enemy opposition to raise the blood-soaked banner of Jesus in the sight of all men. Forward into the fight! Victory is sure, for the battle is the Lord's. WHERE ARE THE SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS? Before we attempt a detailed comparison of the ekklesia to an army, it would be wise to better understand our goals and objectives as Spirit soldiers. We need to know why God has called His disciples to fight, as well as what we're fighting for. Yes, the Prince of Peace has called us to fight! Our primary goal is simple: to lift up Jesus in the eyes of a dying world. Sounds easy. Only one small problem: as we lift Him up Satan and his army of wicked spirits work to pull Him (and us) down. Our lives are meant to reflect the beauty of holiness which Jesus died to secure for us. Satan hates holiness and he does his best to tempt, trick, and trap us into sin. What’s the end of all this interaction? We have a real fight on our hands! Thank God He intervenes on our behalf, giving us the power we need to overcome the enemy—if we will only use it. For most modern Christians, especially here in the USA, the idea of fighting makes them very uncomfortable. They don't see any need for all this talk about fighting as they relax in their easy chair, sip their favorite beverage, and click through the channels on their big-screen TV. They are enjoying a life of ease, fat and full on the things of this world. They don't want to hear about some war—especially if it involves them! Besides, if this war business was so important then why doesn't their pastor ever talk about it? GOOD QUESTION! The truth is that in this hour the majority of average Christians, including pastors, have already been captured by the enemy—and they don’t even know it. They've been bound up and imprisoned by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The sickest part is they seem to enjoy their chains! When you talk to them about spiritual warfare they look at you like you belong to some fringe element of religious fanatics whose outlook on life is hopelessly warped. When you confront them with the scriptures they are forced to agree that yes, the concepts of spiritual warfare and soldiering are found throughout the Bible—but they don't feel like they need to get involved in it. They’re alright. They go to church. It’s just not God’s calling for them. No wonder the world is sinking fast into utter darkness! The ones who are supposed to be driving back the hordes of Hell are at the football game, the movie theater, the steak house, or worse. God's people have turned into nothing but soft, simpy, coddled, cowards! They no longer seek to please the Lord. Everything revolves around satisfying the insatiable lust of the flesh. And at this time in history America's prosperous economy makes it possible—even easy. Yet don't despair. Eventually all that will change as the judgments of God continue to be released. Just as it happened to Israel of old, when God's people forsake His way and go whoring after a multitude of other gods they will be taken into captivity and grievously punished. THE NEED FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE Regardless of what compromised, complacent, comfortable Christianity believes, the reality of spiritual warfare is something that no true disciple of Jesus can afford to deny. Why? Because true soldiers of the cross are continually under attack. They either fight or die. In order to help us survive relentless enemy attacks God has a perfect plan. He groups His people into fighting units or ekklesias under His command. The intention of this series of articles is to examine the details of how this plan called Ekklesia Living works. According to the great commission (Matt. 28:18), God desires to mount an ever-increasing offensive to effectively spread His Kingdom around the world in order to rescue precious souls from the kingdom of darkness. Unfortunately He can’t find very many who will dedicate their lives to the cause. Even though the benefits are tremendous, and our commander is God Himself who promises to fight side by side with us in every battle, most shrink from the challenge. Why? Because it involves suffering and self-sacrifice, including a strict prohibition on idolatry. The thought of missing out on all the luxuries and enjoyments the world has to offer is too much. They might even have to give up TV. God forbid! Sadly, they are passing up the greatest opportunity they will ever have—the chance to live together with God's family under the guidance and control of the Holy Spirit—all because they would rather continue worshiping themselves and the worldly trash they have come to love so dearly. A quick evaluation of humanity and the problems that have plagued every civilization throughout history will lead even the novice to the conclusion that the world is bound to repeat patterns of destructive behavior. Things never seem to get any better. In fact many of these destructive forces seem to multiply and increase in intensity with each new generation. Hatred, violence, greed, selfishness, cruelty, addiction—the list goes on and on. These monsters roam the earth wreaking death and destruction wherever people are gathered. Walk the streets of any big city and you'll come face to face with multitudes who are bound by chains of evil and darkness. Then, if you want the real truth, find an honest policeman(?) and ask him about what goes on beneath the surface that appears relatively decent. You may need to sit down. The facts are staggering. Crime rates of every type are continually increasing. Substance abuse of all types is out of control. Criminal organizations are like deadly diseases that stalk the land, affecting even government officials and law enforcement itself. The police are often caught dealing drugs (everybody wants to get ahead you know), and the legal system is like a sick circus where the innocent suffer for the guilty and he who has the most money wins. The prison industry has never been better. New penal institutions are continually springing up like ugly weeds all over the land. What's the problem? THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM In the beginning God made us perfect—in His own image. Yet ever since Adam and Eve fell, bringing the curse of sin upon us, humans have had nothing but trouble. The only time things work out right is when God intervenes, or people seek God's help, listen to what He says, and obey His commands. Tragedy after tragedy caused by men breaking God's laws; doing horrible things to their fellow men because they want to play God: these are sad stories that fill the pages of history. Thank God that He has engineered a solution. God has made a way that we can break free and live above the oppressive curse of sin which we are doomed to inherit. Of course God's plan revolves around Jesus, the sinless One who gave himself that we could live. We must be born again, having our minds and hearts washed clean by the blood of Christ, the only substance in the universe able to truly wash away sin. And more than being liberated from the slave chains of sin, and all the demonic bondages that go with it, we can go further—through the power of God we can put to death the desire to sin that lives within us. Only when we are sickened by sin, when we don't want it anymore, will we have the chance to be truly free. Yet the other side of the story is WARFARE. We’re going to have to fight with all our might if we want to gain and maintain the freedoms and blessings God offers. With God's help we must pull down our idols. We must break off our whorish love affairs with the things that are working to destroy us. As we trust in Jesus we are forgiven, sanctified, and brought into right standing with God the Father once again. So, how does that solve our problem? Our problem is solved because the barrier that separated us from God has been removed! Jesus paid the price for our sins. The power of sin has been broken. Even better, we have been endued with the power of the Holy Spirit. We don't have to sin anymore if we don’t want to. Unfortunately, experience teaches us that sin still continues to be a problem. Even Christians who have been walking with the Lord for years find themselves struggling with sin. So, what's the next step? What's the ultimate solution? EKKLESIA LIVING. WE'RE LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD SOLDIERS When we give our lives to the Lord it is His desire to remake us; mold and shape us into the image of Christ. God wants to discipline and train His children because He loves them. It grieves Him to see His creation suffering under the oppression of sin. In order to win in the war against sin Jesus must train us into His disciples. When we give our life to Jesus we are automatically enrolled in a unique training program—a lifelong course that challenges us to the very core of our being. Jesus wants to teach us how to take dominion over sin in our lives. We couldn't ask for a better example. The One in whom the enemy could find nothing is our teacher. Despite the wonderful opportunities this course offers, despite the fact that God himself is available to us on a 24/7 basis for private instruction, it seems that few sign up. Yet those who do soon realize they’ve found the answer to all their questions; the solution to all their problems. They enter into a relationship like no other. They've made a covenant with their creator—the God who made Heaven and earth. Now they are privileged to fight for His cause, rescuing others from the powers of sin and eternal damnation. WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY! This brings us to our main point: every true disciple of Jesus is also going to be a soldier. There's a war on! God's Kingdom is under attack, and so are we because we are subjects of that Kingdom. Initially each one of us was drawn by the Spirit of God. We made a choice to follow Jesus, and like the experience John Wesley had, our hearts were "strangely warmed." Little did we realize that when we were born-again we had enlisted in the oldest, strongest, most well-trained, well-organized army on earth. We took sides in a conflict as old as humanity itself. As a result we’ve been marked by the enemy and targeted for destruction. Thank God our lives now belong to another—One who promises to keep us safe and has the power to do it. To put it in plain English: we are no longer our own boss. We are soldiers under command and our commander is Jesus, the greatest military genius of all time. LIFE UNDER COMMAND Naturally, any commander faced with a conflict is going to marshal his troops and prepare for battle. Much teaching and training is involved. Soldiers, already familiar with army life, must learn about the warfare they are facing, what their weapons are and how to use them, how to recognize the enemy, and most importantly, how to listen carefully to their leader and obey his commands. As well as training his troops, a wise commander will consolidate and evaluate his resources, making sure he has what it takes to win before he enters the conflict. This is what Ekklesia Living enables God to do. Each ekklesia, no matter where it is located on earth, is meant to function like an army. They are usually small, but size is not the issue. Some of the deadliest, most feared guerilla units in history have been small compared to the armies they harassed. Ekklesians live together, having all things common and serving each other in a spirit of love and sacrifice. This is the pattern established by the first Christians (see Acts 2:44-46; 4:32-35). As soldiers, they live disciplined, consecrated lives under the chain of command with Jesus holding the highest rank. In this way God is able to effectively use His people to attack the kingdom of darkness, winning decisive victories over Satan and sin. And what's even better, it's Jesus who leads us into battle, directing each offensive and mobilizing us to reach out and rescue those trapped in the chains of sin. What a cause to live for! As the battle progresses God's enemies are put to flight and souls are redeemed. All we must do is follow the way of the Crucified. Jesus is deeply concerned that lost souls come to Him and partake of the salvation He so freely offers. He already paid the price. His blood was shed for our sins. "Not my will but thine be done" was the surrender that won the victory. Now it's our turn. More than just guarding some position or outpost, soldiers of the cross become liberators, warriors of love and mercy, helping free people from sin and demonic bondages. We have the satisfaction of knowing that we are fighting, sacrificing, laying our lives down under the command of the One who gave His life for us. In a very real sense we become laborers together with Christ. Very few soldiers in the carnal sense are privileged to work and fight side by side with their commanders. Those poor souls who belong to the armies of the world are often doomed to perish as cannon fodder for some twisted patriotic scheme hatched by the military/industrial complex. They are pawns, moved about and sacrificed by governments who are controlled behind the scenes by those running the international economic machinery. How fortunate we are! For as the battle rages around us our God is with us every step of the way, shielding, strengthening, and encouraging us to fight on. As we yield to the power of the Holy Spirit we play an important part in setting the captives free. Praise God! A nobler, more gratifying cause can't be found. WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY Very few will deny the fact that the world is hopelessly messed up. Tragically, most fail to realize the root of our problems is our sinful condition and separation from God. It’s obvious that many are desperately in need of help—help that only Jesus can give them. In order to bring them true assistance by introducing them to the Lord, we must be determined to challenge the forces of darkness. The chance to truly help those who need it is reason enough to dedicate our lives as soldiers in the service of the King of mercy. Yet for those who would like scriptural support for our involvement as soldiers in a spiritual conflict, the Bible records many verses. Let's look at some of the ones more well-known. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Ephesians 6:11-17 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 1 Peter 5:8-9 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Tim 2:3-4 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Jude v. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Cor. 10:3-6 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. Exodus. 15:3 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Psalms 18:34 Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. Psalms 144:1-2 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken. Deut. 6:18-19 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. Lev. 26:7-8 The above verses make it plain that warfare is a very real part of the Christian's walk. Whether we like it or not, agree with it or not, it’s NOT going away. Notice the many words that indicate conflict or refer to the enemy: wrestle, armor, withstand, stand, resist, adversary, endure, vigilant, contend, weapons of our warfare, pulling/casting down, bringing into captivity, revenge, war, possess, cast out, chase, enemies. And this is only a partial list. Only fools try to deny the fact that true Christians are involved in spiritual warfare. Yet sadly, there are multitudes in today’s church who sincerely believe the only reason Jesus died is so we can enjoy the good life with lots of food, fun, and fellowship! The rule these Christian hedonists live by is, "He who dies with the most toys wins." They’ve convinced themselves that God wants them to prosper and have the best this world can offer. Not realizing it, they've made a first-class fool's paradise for themselves, putting the name of Jesus all over it. Unfortunately it will be too late to fight when they are sealed in Hell for eternity. Paul compares the disciple of Christ to a soldier, fully armed and ready for battle. I'm sure that God would be happy if we didn't have to fight at all. Being trapped in sin gives no glory to God. Yet the ugly truth is we (going back to Adam) got ourselves into this mess to begin with. Now we’ve got to fight our way out. We have no choice—there’s no easy way. No matter how bad things get we must be careful not to accuse God, for none of our problems are His fault. The untold suffering, misery, cruelty, and injustice that has been the lot of humanity down through the ages can be traced directly back to man's rebellion against his Creator. God must weep as multitudes are overtaken, captivated, and destroyed by sin. Yet there is hope! In His great mercy God has given us everything we need to win in the war against sin. Now it's up to us to face reality. The conflict with sin is far from being over. We must determine to make our stand as soldiers and prepare to fight, for the enemy will not leave us alone. If we refuse to fight because we aren't comfortable with the concept of war, or because we feel it shouldn't be this way, or because we're plain lazy, we will have no one to blame when we perish in our sins. Don't be deceived, the ugly truth in this war is you either FIGHT or you DIE. Jesus is waiting to strengthen and encourage those who push into the battle. We must be concerned for our own souls as well as the souls of others. If you claim the name of Jesus then make up your mind today to join us in the war as one of His soldiers. You can help set the captives free. A PEOPLE HE CAN USE What use does God have for a people He can't control? What good are disciples who won't obey? Any army in the world will tell you that soldiers who won't obey orders are worthless—more trouble than they’re worth. God is no different. He wants a people He can control. Yes, undoubtedly He loves us, so much so that He suffered the agony of the cross to save us from our sin. But more than that He wants to use us, He wants to perfect us, He wants to deal personally with us as friends and co-workers. There are plans to be carried out, battles to be fought, multitudes of souls lost in darkness who need the light of God's love. We have the privilege to work side by side with our Creator. Ekklesia Living is God's ideal pattern that enables Him to accomplish these goals through His people. It takes militant, aggressive action, fueled by a burning concern for our fellow man, to bring the saving knowledge of the gospel to the world. Formidable forces are arrayed against us, both internally and externally, and the enemy works unceasingly to attack, sabotage, and if possible stop God's plans. As mentioned before we are soldiers of love and mercy—an army that sheds no blood. Nevertheless we are soldiers, and soldiers fight! Enough soldiers grouped together form an army. It is God’s ideal plan to bring His troops together and form them into units that He can use—ekklesias under His command. Whether He needs to move us with lightening speed or deliberate caution, with concentrated strength that smashes or the delicate touch of a surgeon, God wants to control His people with such accuracy that there is no room for error. This kind of army doesn't happen by accident. Years of teaching and training, constructive correction and chastisement under the Master's patient hand is what it takes. That's what Ekklesia Living is all about. TABLE OF CONTENTS Marks Of A Soldier Part 8 You don't have to look at the world very long before you realize it is drowning in a sea of violence, corruption, perversion and death. Multitudes lead dead-end lives, trapped in the relentlessly brutal struggle for survival. The future holds no hope. All this because man has walked away from His creator and tried to run the show himself. So what can we do? As disciples of Jesus we can do a lot. We can get fighting mad and determine to wage a relentless war against the kingdom of darkness. For it is this kingdom, and the Satanic forces that control it, which hold the vast majority of the world's population in captivity to the forces of sin, sickness and death. But to fight a war and win you need soldiers. And more than that, you need to group them together into an army. That's what Ekklesia Living is about: life as a Spirit soldier in God's Army. In part 8 we look at how God’s Spirit soldiers who live in an ekklesia bear many of the same characteristics found in the soldiers belonging to the armies of the world. The purpose and goals of God's army have already been covered and found to be radically different than those of the world's military organizations. Yet the marks that define a true soldier are universal. This shouldn't shock the Christian, for the concepts of soldiering and spiritual warfare can be found throughout the Word of God. Jesus is in the business of making disciples, and every disciple is going to be a soldier. In our last segment we found that the ekklesia is supposed to function like an army. Living under military instruction and discipline, ekklesians see themselves as soldiers under command. They realize there's a war on and they're in the middle of it. But how does life as a soldier work out in everyday living? How can you tell a soldier from a civilian? This is what we need to examine. You might be asking, "Why do we even care?" At the beginning of this series we stated our intention was to explain and expound on the many different aspects of Ekklesia Living. In order to do this effectively we looked at the different forms the ekklesia resembles. First we compared it to the human body, and what an amazing comparison that was. Next we are comparing it to an army, and the similarities shouldn't surprise us, for ever since Moses led God's people out of Egypt they have been a militant people, fighting against the enemies of God's Kingdom. The truth is God's people are meant to be formed into an aggressive fighting machine—an army—honed to a keen edge in order to cut through the demonic chains that hold people captive. Being soldiers of love, serving under our Commander the Lord Jesus Christ who is the very definition of love, our hearts ache as we see the vast majority of humanity enslaved by sin. It is sad to see so many separated from their Creator and being controlled by forces bent on their destruction. All the while we hold the key to their freedom. There's only one problem: the lock is in enemy territory, guarded by an army of ruthless, brutal killers. We are also greatly saddened by the realization that the final destination of captivity to sin is eternal separation from God in a burning Hell. What a horrible thought! This makes us more determined than ever to fight, attacking and scattering the enemy. With God's help we’ll bring them the answer. We’ll give them hope, lifting up Jesus in their sight that they too can experience the overwhelming joy and peace that only He can give. For this we live and are willing to die. One of the greatest privileges in life is to lay down our lives in order to liberate those held captive by sin. It is our prayer that others will catch this vision and join us in the war. LET'S COMPARE When putting an army and an ekklesia side by side you'll notice the similarities fall into two main categories: spiritual and physical. The spiritual side has to do with more abstract, mental and emotional concepts like attitude, purpose, goals, trust, obedience, and loyalty. Spiritual concepts like these can be easily overlooked by the untrained eye. Whereas the physical similarities are easy to spot. They deal with the nuts and bolts of daily life like the necessities of food, clothing, and shelter, as well as the structuring of daily routines and economic policies. Both groups are important, influencing and affecting each other in many ways. The combined effect of all the aspects involved in army life accomplish an exacting task. A group of otherwise disjointed, dysfunctional, and often sincerely disillusioned disciples are changed into a fine-tuned, highly effective fighting machine. Once we were lost, wandering in a spiritual wilderness littered with the rotting carcasses of dead churches. Now we rally under the blood-stained banner of the Lord Jesus Christ, joining forces and combining our strength to attack, overthrow, and destroy the kingdom of darkness both in and around us. As God's soldiers, our great reward is knowing that we've obeyed and pleased our Captain, the Lord Jesus. We also enjoy the satisfaction of knowing we have played a real part in tearing down Satan's kingdom and establishing God's Kingdom in the lives of others. An added benefit is the joy of training new generations, and then watching them mature in God’s wisdom and choose to serve the Lord in the power of a holy life. Praise God! As we discuss these characteristics, or traits of army life, be aware that they apply to soldiers everywhere, whether they belong to God's army or one of the world's many military organizations. Granted, the soldiers may not be living up to the standards expected of them, but theoretically that is their goal. Unfortunately, this is just as true for God's soldiers as it is for those of the world's armies. The vast majority of those calling themselves God's people know nothing about soldiering. In fact they are embracing the world and holding hands with God's enemies more than ever before. Nevertheless, God will have a true people, a remnant, be it ever so small, that will stand and fight valiantly to uphold the truth and rescue lost souls from eternal damnation. Considering this we must remember that we are not looking at flesh in all of its human frailty, but instead we have a higher vision, we are looking to the example God desires us to attain. We look to Jesus. THE MARKS OF A SOLDIER Let's start by looking at the spiritual side of army life, or the more abstract ideas of what life as a soldier involves. Each of these characteristics, or marks, could be expanded upon and fill an entire article in themselves. Yet as you read through this brief overview it should become clear that there is much more to being a soldier than just wearing a uniform. True soldiering in the Lord's Spirit army is demanding, yet very rewarding. In order to make the sacrifices real soldiering requires your commitment must come from the heart. It must be based upon a deep loyalty fueled by the love Jesus demonstrated as He went to the cross to secure our redemption. Anything less than this won’t stand the test of battle. The following points will be briefly covered. 1. Commitment - Conditions of Enlistment 2. Submission - Chain of Command 3. Accountability - Duty 4. Separation - Consecration 5. Military Code of Conduct 6. Teamwork 7. Sacrifice - Suffering 8. Militant Attitude 9. Teaching - Training - Equipping1. COMMITMENT - CONDITIONS OF ENLISTMENT Soldiers everywhere understand that when they joined the army they left civilian life behind. They realize they have made a commitment which the army takes seriously. This means they belong to the army and their lives will be governed by the rules and regulations that make up army life. From the onset they are made aware that they may be called to fight in a war. They must be ready at a moments notice to go into battle if the need arises. Soldiers don't enlist with the idea that they are going to get rich and enjoy the "good things" life has to offer. On the contrary, they understand that financial gain is not what being a soldier is about. Most definitely they will be called upon to endure hardness, sacrifice creature comforts, and maybe even die in the line of duty. If they can't deal with these realities they might as well not bother signing up. Enlistment is not to be taken lightly. Right from the start the new recruits are made aware that there are penalties and punishments for defectors. Once your enlistment is final, any attempt to defect or go AWOL (absent without official leave) is considered a serious offense and punished accordingly. In the Christian camp this type of behavior is tantamount to backsliding. Although commitment as a soldier is always taken seriously, the length of service differs greatly between God's army and those of the world. Instead of only a couple years like the world's armies want, enlistment in God's army is for life. It’s this difference that puts God's soldiers in a class by themselves. Like soldiers everywhere the Christian must count the cost, entering army life with both eyes open, fully understanding the importance of the decision he is making. His life now belongs to the army. He is no longer his own boss. Once the prospective soldier has weighed these requirements and fully agrees with them he is ready to publicly acknowledge his decision to join the army. In a brief but serious ceremony the soldier commits himself, pledging allegiance to the army along with his willingness to defend the government to which the army belongs. In God's Kingdom this is equivalent to surrendering yourself totally to the Lordship of Christ—a serious decision which radically changes the course of your entire life. Many people are born-again believers, yet they never fully surrender their lives to Christ. Although they claim to be God's people, God never totally controls them. These types spend their days playing church, never experiencing what true soldiering for the Lord is all about. What a shame. 2. SUBMISSION - CHAIN OF COMMAND Upon entering the army the new soldier is given a rank and introduced to the chain of command. He learns how the chain of command works, about promotion, and where he fits in the chain at present. He learns that he is expected to respect those above him in the chain of command, responding to orders in a spirit of obedience. As time passes hopefully he climbs up in rank. As he does he too will be expected to give orders to those under him. In short, he must realize when it comes to army life he is not the boss. In God's army the soldier learns that Jesus is at the top of the chain of command. Ultimately all orders can be traced back to Him. This assurance gives the soldier great peace of mind and heart. He can obey with the confidence of knowing that God is in control. When it comes to decisions of importance God is the one who calls the shots. Along with seeking the Lord, spirit soldiers are expected to look to those above them in the chain of command for guidance and direction. God has instituted this system for good reason. Why? Unfortunately we are never as spiritual as we think we are. Whether we like it or not the truth is we need other Christians to watch and pray over us, making sure we don’t get funny ideas that separate us from God. The chain of command has stood the test of time. As you submit to it you soon come to value the tremendous protection it offers. Initially the new recruit may kick against the discipline and restraints that are part of army life. Yet as time goes by he comes to appreciate the peace and security of knowing that others who truly care are watching over his life. 3. ACCOUNTABILITY-DUTY Sooner or later every soldier comes to understand that they are responsible for their actions, or lack of them. Because they are part of a team their cooperation and willingness to go with the program affects the other members. This means that every soldier who has agreed to abide by the rules is accountable to the other team members. A strong sense of duty is also instilled in the soldiers, causing them to finish their tasks if at all possible, no matter how they feel or what the circumstances may be. Because they affect the entire army, failure to obey commands or neglect of duty are serious offenses which bringing quick correction and possibly punishment. Those who belong to God's army feel the same accountability and sense of duty towards their fellow soldiers. Yet unlike the armies of the world, their feelings are based on the love Jesus has instilled in their lives. In God’s army our teammates are more than just casual acquaintances we trained with. We are family in a very real sense. Above all we obey Jesus, doing our duties and submitting to His divine chain of command, simply because we love Him. This is a major difference between soldiers of the cross and the armies of this world who often obey out of fear and pride. Seldom is love for their commanders the motivation behind obedience. As for us, army life becomes a joy because we are personal friends with our Commander. Plus, knowing that He actually laid down His life for us and has nothing but our good in mind fills us with gratitude that manifests in loving obedience. 4. SEPARATION-CONSECRATION Every commander works to instill in his troops dedication to the cause and loyalty to the army and its leaders. The troops are made to understand that their leaders are loyal to them and have their well-being in mind. This mutual feeling of loyalty builds trust both up and down the chain of command, allowing the soldiers to work with confidence because they know their fellow soldiers are one with them in the cause. A high level of dedication does not come automatically but must be cultivated by each soldier over time. In God's army another term for this type of dedication is consecration. Every disciple/soldier of the cross is meant to be 100% consecrated unto God. His life becomes God's life. His ambitions and desires are adjusted so they agree with those of the Lord. He determines within himself to be set aside for the purposes of God. His vision is single and he is full of the life and light of God. The blessings are obvious. The more you dedicate yourself to the purposes of God, the more hopeless, repulsive and disgusting the world appears. When we talk about the world we mean those sinful, carnal characteristics that make up the world: the lust of the flesh; the lust of the eyes; the pride of life. Just as the carnal soldier understands that as long as he’s enlisted he belongs to the army, every true Spirit soldier comes to realize they no longer belong to the world like they once did. The world has now become something the enemy uses against us, something we can’t afford to become entangled with. The soldier of the cross also understands that he is no longer sold under sin, being a perpetual slave to his carnality. He has been liberated and given the privilege of serving a new Master—the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, God's Spirit soldiers are not meant to be unequally yoked together with the unsaved. Taking into consideration unavoidable business transactions, the main interaction the Christian soldier has with the world is based on the desire to share the gospel with them. Although they may cultivate friendships with the unsaved, they do it in hopes of leading the lost into God's Kingdom. Otherwise, soldiers are meant to identify with the army, seeking their true fellowship and friendship within the family of born-again believers—not the world. Although we continually deal with the world, an attitude of separation must be strictly maintained. This separation is primarily in the mental realm. It is unavoidable that we mix and mingle with the world to a certain degree, yet the Spirit soldier understands he no longer belongs to this world, no matter how much he’s forced to be around it. This desire to maintain a high level of consecration and separation from the world eventually translates into the physical realm. God puts the desire in His soldiers to live exclusively with each other and another ekklesia is born. 5. MILITARY CODE OF CONDUCT Another important fact every new soldier is soon made aware of is that the army has its own code of conduct; its own set of rules and standards by which the soldier must now live. More than likely this new standard will be quite different from the way the soldier was living. Yet he must learn to quickly adapt or "get with the program" as they say. Of course there’s a grace period given to new recruits. Sometimes the changes are quite radical, and much self-control must be exercised as the soldier learns to conform to the army way of life. The soldier is urged to adjust quickly, being made aware that those who violate the code will suffer the consequences. Operating by the principles of true love, God's soldiers try their best to be patient, forgiving, and understanding towards their fellow soldiers, especially new recruits. Nevertheless, sanctions, discipline, and corrective measures are readily used to bring offenders back into line. Compared to civilian life, military standards are much stricter and very demanding. Yet they must be enforced, for without them the army ceases to be an army. Left to themselves, humanity quickly degenerates into selfishness. It’s every man for himself, doing what’s right in his own eyes. An effective, victorious fighting machine can never operate that way. In the ekklesia it's up to the leaders, under the guidance and anointing of the Holy Spirit, to enforce the code of conduct and continually monitor behavior throughout the camp. Compared to worldly militaries, God's standards are much higher. Along with outward physical conformity the Lord demands inward holiness as well. Carnal soldiers can be highly disciplined and in excellent physical shape, yet when it comes to living by God's moral laws most fail miserably. In our humanity we are all subject to the laws of sin and death. Our only hope of escape is being born-again and seeking God's help to make us into new creatures in Christ. Yet even with all good intentions, it soon becomes obvious we need help. We learn to rely on the assistance of God's Holy Spirit. With the Spirit’s help we can keep the high and holy standard God desires. 6. TEAMWORK As soon as the soldier enlists he is taught that he is part of a team. In every military the principles of teamwork are constantly emphasized. Every army must maintain high levels of unity and cooperation if they intend to be victorious in their campaigns and successfully counter enemy assaults. A major component of teamwork is the understanding that every soldier is mutually accountable for their actions. He is expected to carry his share of the workload without complaining. Soldiers try hard to maintain a good attitude. This is important, for a good attitude naturally translates into a willingness to work with their fellow soldiers. Petty problems and discrepancies must not be allowed to fester and grow if teamwork is to be maintained. If someone has a problem getting along with others it soon shows up. These situations must be quickly dealt with, for the friction from bad attitudes and lack of cooperation won't be tolerated. If the problem is not corrected the soldier will soon find himself at odds with the rest of the army. Eventually, the offender faces dismissal if they can’t make things right. Soldiers in God's army have a definite advantage. Why? Because essentially they are soldiers of love and mercy, serving under their King who is love and mercy. This makes serving their fellow soldiers a pleasure. Under God's anointed leadership Spirit soldiers experience high levels of teamwork and cooperation unmatched by the world. God's soldiers serve each other in a spirit of love, not a spirit of dead regulation or fear of punishment. How much more pleasant and enjoyable it makes army life when love and caring concern for one another underlie all our activities. 7. SACRIFICE-SUFFERING The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 2:3 that we must learn to endure hardness as good soldiers. We are also admonished to submit our lives to God as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). The overall idea is that the needs and demands of the army must come first. If our actions in the line of duty entail a degree of denial concerning our creature comforts we must be ready and willing to embrace it. Remember what our Captain went through for us. We must be willing to be hard on ourselves, forcing our desires and ambitions into submission to the will of God. In I Corinthians 9:27 Paul likens himself to an athlete, punishing his body and treating it roughly (Living Bible). He does this willingly because he’s afraid of being disqualified or thrown out of the race. His goal is to finish the course set before him victoriously, no matter what it takes. Virtually all militaries in the world pride themselves on how tough their soldiers are and how much punishment they can endure in order to win. Many heroic tales are recorded in the annals of warfare history describing the incredible suffering and sacrifice soldiers have endured. And all for what? For nations of the world that will ultimately pass away. How much more should we be willing to lay our lives down for the advancement of the cause of Christ? In the end the majority of carnal soldiers face eternal separation from God. How tragic. Yet we have the promise of eternal life when we finally pass beyond this life. How much more should we be willing to endure to win such a prize? What could be better than laying your life down for the King of Kings? 8. MILITANT ATTITUDE Because he belongs to the army the thoughts and attitudes of a serious soldier will be influenced by militant principles. Passivity, rebellion, laziness, selfishness, and irresponsibility have no place in army life. The wise soldier will strive to remain alert and attentive. At the same time they learn to cultivate a militant and aggressive attitude against the enemy. In addition, it is very important that soldiers have a clear understanding of who the enemy is and what to expect when the enemy is confronted. They must be on guard, prepared, and ready to fight whenever the need arises. Some of the greatest dangers facing the spirit soldier are complacency and compromise. The soldier of the cross is on dangerous ground as soon as he begins taking it easy on himself, feeling sorry for himself, or catering to the demands and desires of the flesh. As Spirit soldiers following our Crucified Captain we soon find that our deadliest enemy is our own self. This revelation can be shocking. God expects His soldiers to aggressively bring themselves into submission, subordinating their ambitions, their desires, as well as any physical lusts or cravings, to the guidance and control of the Spirit of God. Our carnal nature (the beast inside) and the Spirit of God are struggling for control. Ultimately only one will prevail. Again it’s back on us, for our choices determine the winner. We must choose to obey God and at the same time adopt a militant, aggressive attitude against our carnal nature. We call this dying to ourselves and it is the key to victory. 9. TEACHING - TRAINING - EQUIPPING Upon entering into army life, the soldier finds himself part of a machine—a war machine! Most machines are made up of many different parts with each one doing its job. This way the machine functions properly as a whole. Right away the capabilities, or potential capabilities, of the new soldier are evaluated by the leadership and training begins. Taking many factors into consideration, the leadership does their best to place the soldier where he will be most useful to the army. Often soldiers are needed to fill positions and do jobs in which they have no experience. Naturally, this requires teaching, training, and equipping. From the very beginning, each soldier is made to understand they will undergo training as needed to increase their usefulness to the army. This specialized training is given in addition to instruction in the basic principles of warfare that all soldiers must master in order to survive. This principle of teaching and training is also found in God's Spirit army. Truthfully, God wants each of His people to grow and mature in the Spirit, eventually reaching their full potential and optimum usefulness in His Kingdom. God is in the recycling business. Nothing delights the Lord more than turning human garbage into the golden character of true discipleship. As we cooperate with God's training program, receiving instruction in humility and meekness, our value in God’s Kingdom increases. A miracle gradually takes place. Where we once reeked with the rottenness of sin, selfishness, and stubbornness, now we bring forth the sweet smell of loving obedience to the Lord. And all this because while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. The best way we can show our appreciation for this wonderful love is by sacrificing our lives in its service. TO CONCLUDE These are the characteristics which define a soldier and the way a soldier lives. It becomes obvious that true disciples of Jesus, no matter where they are in the world, are supposed to be militant, aggressive soldiers, not just churchgoing civilians. The body of Christ is supposed to be an army, not a social club. Its local detachments called ekklesias are actually military bases where soldiers of the cross live, work, and wage war, spreading the gospel of God's Kingdom throughout the world. You may be asking yourself, "But what about all these churches?" If you compare the average churchgoer against the characteristics mentioned above you’ll find the vast majority bear no resemblance to the life of a soldier. In fact, when it comes to the conflict that is raging between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness, church folks are basically civilians—passive spectators whose primary goal is to enjoy life and avoid any kind of conflict that might involve suffering, sacrifice, or shame. The call of true discipleship is serious business, not something to be taken lightly. It’s the call to a life of soldiering. You can’t pick it up, play with it, and then put down when the novelty wears off. Real disciples of Christ, real soldiers of the cross, don't need to go to church—they go to God. They can’t “forsake the fellowshipping of the saints” because they live with them all day long. They don't waste their time playing religious games trying to appease and pacify the flesh. They are walking on a higher road, the road that leads to the cross. They are following the One who went before them and paid the ultimate price. It is the way of crucifixion to the flesh, of death to self, to carnal desires and vain ambitions. It’s the narrow way traveled by few. True disciples live life under command, ready to give all in the service of Jesus their Commander—the One who died yet lives! It’s this company who knows the joy of the Lord in its fullest measure, who experiences the peace that passes all understanding. Why not leave dead church life behind and make up your mind to become a sold-out soldier of Jesus today? You'll be glad you did—we promise! TABLE OF CONTENTS Army Life Part 9 Ring...ring...ring. It's 4:30! I'd better get up or I'll be late for morning prayer. I hope the General is teaching today. What's for provision this morning? I sure do enjoy eating together with everyone else. We have such good fellowship. Let's see, it's my turn to help with cleanup. Praise God! It goes fast when we work as a team. I know I'm looking at a full day of work ahead. We've got so many projects going on around the camp. I hope God blesses those new craft items we're making. Better wake up the kids so they have enough time to eat and get ready for school. The kids are learning a lot more than I ever did. Thank God it's almost lunch time. I'm hungry, and lunch is my favorite meal. It's so nice to come together and pray for a few minutes before we eat. Time to clean up, rest for a few minutes, and then get back to work. I'd rather be busy than bored. Best of all I know I'm working for God's Kingdom. I've been praying for that new guy. I hope he gets adjusted alright. He seems like a hard worker, but only time will tell. Evening provision was nice and light. We sure have some good cooks around here. What a blessing that God has given us the wisdom to eat healthy. We've hardly been sick this year at all. I can't remember the last time someone had to go to the doctor. I'm glad the General shared that newsletter about our brothers and sisters in Asia who are under so much persecution. I sure feel a burden to pray for them. Thank God we can send them free literature and Bibles. People think we're sheltered, but we sure have some interesting conversations around the table. I'm amazed how much I enjoy talking with my brothers and sisters in the Lord. Even the kids are fun to talk to. Thank God we don't have a TV! I might be able to finish that tract I've been working on tonight. Oh, here comes one of the sisters. "Sure, I can help with some food prep tonight." Well, that was fun. I've never seen such a nice fruit salad if I do say so myself. Almost bed time. I'll finish that tract tomorrow. I might have time to read a little before bed. I'm getting sleepy. I wish I could keep my eyes open longer. There are so many good things to read. I'm glad we have lights out at 9:30 or else some of us might be up all night. I need to get some rest because tomorrow we're starting a new construction project. "Lord please bless the night. Keep us safe and covered with your peace. I pray for my brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering for their faith and who are less fortunate than we are. Bless and strengthen them in your mercy. Above all I pray for the many, many souls that are lost in the darkness of sin. I pray that somehow your Spirit will reach them and lead them to Jesus." Better tell my roommates goodnight. Don’t have to worry about loneliness around here. Thank God for a warm bed in a clean house. As I drift off to sleep I'm so thankful for the mercy God has had on my life. ------------------- Of course real life circumstances and situations vary widely, so much so that you could never record them all, yet I wanted to begin this segment with a brief overview of a typical day in the life of an ekklesia. Why? Because in part 9 we are going to look at the ways an ekklesia deals with the necessities of life—ways similar to any army on earth. ECONOMIC REALITIES AND ADVANTAGES Admitting that ultimately God is in control of all things, the inescapable fact of life is that everything runs on money. Man is inherently greedy and selfish, and as a result things have developed through the centuries to the point that everything runs on money. Of course as Christians we know that our first and foremost necessity is God. We have to be right with God, living in accordance with His standards, or nothing else matters. Yet, like it or not, we can't escape the fact that it's very hard to live without money. Thank God that He is aware of our dilemma and has the perfect plan to make sure we will always have what we need. We call it Ekklesia Living. The Spirit-led ekklesia enjoys many economic advantages, and these advantages are based on the foundational principles of self-denial, sacrifice, and sharing. When someone joins the ekklesia their personal resources are added to the community. This is done on a free will basis with the understanding that all other members have done the same. As we pool our resources they seem to grow. The actual resources may even multiply miraculously. Yet beside that, the things which can be done with combined resources is amazing. Together God's people can do things which could never be accomplished by individual effort. This is God’s wisdom in action. For example, when resources are combined the ekklesia is able to acquire things individual members could never attain. What this means is that the average member is able to enjoy and benefit from things that, when they lived on their own, were economically impossible. This wonderful principle is based on the fact that those who belong to the ekklesia are determined to hold all things common, sharing what they have among themselves. When someone decides to join us and follow this pattern they earn the privilege to enjoy the benefits with the rest of us. Besides combining material possessions, the ekklesia also accumulates a wide base of personal skill, knowledge, and wisdom. Think of it like a living library where people are the books. Each member has access to this living library from which they can greatly benefit. Of course no library has a book on every subject, yet it’s amazing how much knowledge people gather during their lifetimes. For example: we rely on automotive transportation every day, and when it breaks down it’s a real problem. What do we do? We go to our library and find that several of the members are experienced mechanics. Problem solved. By God's mercy we are up and running again. The examples are endless. The principle is beautiful. The wisdom of God's plan is evident on every hand. It is amazing how the principle of sharing is so efficient, and the ekklesia takes full advantage of it. Take the average suburbanite for example. Their family of four lives in a house which has to be heated and cooled. They also use an entire array of appliances for daily living like a refrigerator, oven, hot water heater, washing machine, etc. You think, "So what. Everybody does that." True--but have you considered that the same house and the same appliances used for a family of four could easily be used for a much larger group? That’s the difference. Look at it another way. Say a group of forty people was divided up into 10 families of four, each with its own set of appliances. The one set of appliances in the ekklesia does the same work as the ten sets needed by the isolated family groups. This is the efficiency of Ekklesia Living. In terms of money, we only buy one set instead of ten. We save thousands. The wisdom of this principle is easy to understand but hard to put into practice. Why? Because people suffer from the disease of pride and independence--a terrible curse. They are determined to have their own set of everything so no one can tell them what to do. That's the wastefulness the world lives by. WHY IT WORKS SO WELL There are many reasons why Ekklesia Living works so well and is so economically efficient. It all goes back to the fact that every true member of the ekklesia must be a disciple of Christ. This also means that they must be a soldier in God's army. These two facts shape the lives of those who live in the ekklesia in very important ways. First: true disciples of Christ have decided to willing to take up their cross, deny themselves, and follow the Master. In real life this translates into a willingness to sacrifice. Denying ourselves, we put the needs of others above our own and do our best to serve the body of Christ. Ekklesians accept the fact that they don't have to have everything they think they want. At the same time they make sure they thank God for everything He does provide--and He provides abundantly! We adopt the pattern which the Master established. Jesus denied Himself, even to the point of death, so that others could live. As His disciples we are expected to do the same. Our crosses may or may not be bloody, but they are crosses nonetheless. It is the Lord who appoints our trials and tribulations, and He has assured us that He will not put upon us more than we can bear. As we follow His footsteps His mercy strengthens us. Second: soldiers are part of an army, and as any soldier can tell you, the army regulates the lives of those who belong to it. In real life this means the army regulates the necessities of life. Shelter, food, clothing, material possessions, sleep, and purpose/goals are all regulated by the army. Theoretically, these necessities are meant to be regulated as efficiently as possible. This brings us back to the fact that the army has a definite purpose. All available resources, including the soldiers themselves, must be used to accomplish that purpose. Soldiers don't live for themselves—they live for the army. Although the armies of the world may not evidence this level of commitment or efficiency, in God's army we strive towards this goal. Our leadership prayerfully seeks God in order to determine the most efficient, economical, and effective ways to meet our daily needs. Because the army operates by the chain of command the leadership can implement the plans God gives them. (Let Pastor Nice Guy try this at his church and see how far he gets.) The army strives to be as efficient as possible because it’s determined to win the war. AN ARMY IS AN ARMY In part 8 we covered the many mental and spiritual concepts common to both the ekklesia and a regular army. Now it's time to take a closer look at the similarities dealing with the basics of everyday living. How we deal with these necessities of life—things everyone has to have to survive—is where the amazing resemblance between Ekklesia Living and army life comes into view. Again, these necessities are: shelter, food, clothing, material possessions, sleep, and purpose/goals. Limited space allows us only brief coverage of these points. Yet even a surface examination is enough to convince anyone that the ekklesia is an army in the real sense of the word. Before we start, it’s good to recall the foundational principles that guide the ekklesia. In the book of Acts we read that the apostles and the first disciples were of one mind and one accord. They broke bread together and held all things common (Acts 2:44; 4:32). When everything else is said and done, these are the principles that make Ekklesia Living possible. Usually being of the same mind and sharing your possessions go together quite well. When people are of one mind and one accord, bound together by the Spirit by sacrificial love, it is only natural they should desire to share their possessions, live in close proximity to each other, and spend time enjoying each other's companionship. Whether they are blood relatives or not doesn't matter. True disciples of Christ make up a new family brought together and connected by the blood of Jesus. We must pause and make a couple important notes in order to avoid any misunderstandings and squelch false accusations. Let it be known that the practice of holding all things common in the Christian ekklesia is never perverted, unclean, or unjust. The distinction between the sexes is carefully maintained and the institution of marriage, along with the sanctity of the marriage bed, are highly honored. The strong and clever are not allowed to exploit the weak and simple under the guise of "sharing." In the ekklesia God's high and holy standards of morality are strictly enforced. This is not always the case in the many pagan communities which attempt to hold all things common. God's ekklesia is run by God's rules and standards. This is the crucial point that ensures such a high quality of life rarely found in other living situations. NEEDS EVERYDAY-DONE THE ARMY WAY SHELTER: In the ekklesia, as in the army, the troops live together. Whether you call their living quarters barracks, dormitories, houses, or huts, the idea is that living space is shared. An ekklesia is basically an army base, and on most bases you'll find both officers and troops. This is critical if the chain of command is expected to function smoothly and efficiently. Out of respect for their rank and the responsibility they carry, the commanding officers are often given their own quarters as space allows. Yet over all, the soldiers, whether high or low in rank, enjoy virtually the same quality of living conditions. This is where the ekklesia parts ways with the church. Do a little research and you’ll soon find that very few pastors, bishops, or other church leaders, live with their flocks. Jesus did. What's the problem? It comes down to the fact that people want to have their own space where they can enjoy their personal life IN PRIVATE. When Pastor Pervert rents his dirty videos, or takes a little (or not so little) nip from his liquor cabinet, he would prefer that his congregation not know about it. How about when Pastor Piggy eats the whole family size pizza by himself, washing it down with a six pack of soda and topping it off with a half gallon of his favorite ice cream? Naturally all this intake keeps him up till midnight watching TV. No problem because he sleeps in till at least 10:00 in the morning. These are only a couple examples of the countless scenarios that inevitably happen when people have their own private space all to themselves. This is life in a church near you. It's easy to understand why Ekklesia Living is very conducive to a life of holiness, and why it is flatly rejected by your average churchgoer. It's hard to hide your sins from those you live with. Shelter also includes the living spaces that are allotted for food storage and preparation, dining, bathrooms, showers, laundry, and general storage. In essence, all the aspects of living are shared. This is army life, and with God's help even the most selfish, spoiled people can adapt to it. Nevertheless, there are some serious questions you need to honestly ask yourself. In our moments of religious fervor we boldly claim that we want to give everything for Jesus. But will you give Him your personal space? How about your isolated quiet times? Don't panic. Of course members of the ekklesia still enjoy their own space and quiet times—perhaps just in smaller quantities. As you learn to cooperate with God's plan you are soon relieved to find out that you can get along just fine with much less than you thought you needed. Once you let God adapt you to this new way of living you begin to wonder how you ever lived any other way. FOOD: Food is one of the most obvious necessities of life. Everyone has to eat. Because of this, food becomes a very sensitive issue in the lives of many. Let’s face it—most people prefer to choose what, how much, and when they want to eat. When you join the army, the ekklesia, you soon learn that this area of your life must also be surrendered. It's simple: when you joined part of the agreement was that you eat what the army provides. Armies around the world differ as to how strictly they enforce this principle, yet the principle remains. When you're in the army you eat with the army. Sharing meals is intended to be a central part of army life. Personal communication is an important aspect of humanity that cannot be denied. This is why they punish prisoners with solitary confinement. God created us with the intelligence and ability to talk with each other. This is one of the things that places us above the animal kingdom. Eating together is meant to accommodate this need. It's at mealtime that soldiers gather in a relaxed atmosphere and talk. This is when problems are discussed and worked out, stories are told, and information is shared. What better time than around a good meal for people of the same mind and spirit to enjoy each other's company? For those used to living in their own space sharing meals can be quite revolutionary. Just the fact that we share mealtimes at a common table raises the quality of life in the ekklesia to a level most people never experience. This is fellowship at its finest. A key point in the survival and success of any army is the level of communication between the commanders and the troops, as well as among the troops themselves. As a communication tool, eating together is invaluable. Of course meetings are also held at other times, yet in the ekklesia the leaders always know they can address the troops all at once during mealtime. This is important, because the fluctuations and circumstances of everyday life are endless, often bringing about many small but important changes that must be dealt with. Often the enemy's movements must immediately be made known throughout the community so they can be effectively counteracted. Strategies must be initiated. The war machine has to move. Many of these changes are urgent and the troops need to be told as soon as possible. The leaders need only wait until the next meal. The army runs on information and eating together is one of the most efficient way to share it. NOTE: Economics of food supply in the ekklesia When it comes to food, the ekklesia is generally much stricter than the carnal military. The difference is based on economics. Carnal soldiers are allotted a certain amount of spending money, or pay, which they can spend as they choose. This includes eating in restaurants and buying other snacks or food items they like. In the more economically advantaged countries many bases have facilities especially designed to meet these personal preferences. Some even allow restaurants to operate on base. This way if a soldier doesn't like what the army is providing then he can buy something he likes instead—until his money runs out. In the ekklesia it’s different. God's soldiers do not get a salary which they can waste on the whims of their carnal appetite. As soon as they join they realize that their financial resources, whether large or small, should be added to the community—just like everyone else. In the ekklesia all the money that is added or earned becomes God's money, and God's money is not to be wasted. This system of carefully regulated finances helps ekklesians learn to be content with whatever is provided at the community meals. The leadership takes responsibility for seeking God as to how much, how often, and exactly what the ekklesia is to eat. Of course everyone has their personal preferences when it comes to food, yet in the ekklesia it’s expected that these preferences will be subordinated to the decisions of God's appointed leaders. The leadership understands that when it comes to food you can never please everyone all the time. Yet with God's wisdom, combined with years of experience, the ekklesia is able to provide simple, healthy meals which everybody is able to enjoy. Another important difference between the ekklesia and the world's militaries is that the ekklesia's eating schedule often includes times of fasting and self-denial. God appoints these seasons for our spiritual refinement and growth. Many blessings are experienced as the troops embrace these times of consecration with a good attitude. In the land of plenty it never hurts to cut back. This is God's way of keeping our carnality in check and reminding us that man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God (Luke 4:4). It’s worthy to note the especially incredible economics of communal eating. When it comes to obtaining, preparing, and storing food, the ekklesia looks to God to provide for its needs in ways that are most economical. In the food realm, prices are often dramatically lower when you are able to buy large quantities—especially in staples like rice, flour, beans, oil, etc. Instead of buying one pound of overpriced rice at the supermarket, we go to the warehouse and buy one-hundred pounds for a fraction of the cost per pound. The time needed for preparation, cooking, and cleaning is also greatly reduced. Instead of making 40 meals for 40 people, the ekklesia makes one meal big enough to feed 40. Electricity is not cheap either. Instead of running multiple refrigerators and freezers the ekklesia tries to install units large enough to hold everything at once. The details of the economic advantages are so many you could go on and on. The bottom line is we save lots of money. Anyone can easily see when it comes to the unavoidable necessity of food that the ekklesia way, the army way, can’t be beat. The object of holding all things in common is to keep the necessities of life in their proper place—including food. In any army the needs and wants of the soldiers must be subordinated to army goals and objectives. In other words: duty comes first; the mission must be accomplished. We refuse to spend an unnecessary amount of money on satisfying our stomach when we could use the same money to print gospel literature which is freely distributed around the world. The execution of a plan like this takes leadership, discipline, and the cooperation of the entire group—three things that characterize army life. As we do our best to deny ourselves and conserve resources God, in His mercy, gives us the joy and satisfaction of knowing that we are advancing the war effort. In addition, we have found that as we cooperate with God's wisdom concerning the type and amount of food we should eat that our health steadily improves. In fact the health benefits are so great that sickness is rarely a problem. This blessing of good health also saves us a great deal of time, trouble, and MONEY. Thank God for His merciful wisdom! CLOTHING: Clothing is the next necessity of life we must look at. This subject, like food, can be very sensitive. People want to wear what they like, what's comfortable for them, and what they think makes them look good. Yet when you join the military this area of life must also be brought into line with army rules and regulations. In other words, soldiers wear what the army provides—uniforms. Again we find the ekklesia is more demanding than worldly militaries. Inevitably it comes back to economics. As already mentioned, soldiers of the world have a limited amount of spending money with which they can buy civilian clothes that appeal to them for wearing while off duty. Plus they still have their clothes from before they enlisted. It’s different in God’s army. As Spirit soldiers the clothes we wear must be above all pleasing to God. God has given us uniforms and we wear them as He directs. Yet even when we don’t wear uniforms we are careful to please God in our clothing. God’s Word makes it plain that He disapproves of worldliness and worldly fashions. As Christians we are not meant to long and lust after the fads and fashions of this world. God's people are supposed to be fighting against the forces of evil, not trying to win a fashion show. The only one we should try to impress is God. We belong to a higher order and our hearts must be set on things above. This narrows our selection of clothing to that which is economical, durable, utilitarian, and plain. We are not trying to impress the world. This relieves many of a great burden, for they no longer have to worry about what people think about their clothes. Keep in mind that soldiers in God's army receive no salary. Everything they own, including money, is viewed as though it belongs to the Lord. God doesn’t want us wasting His money on overpriced, fashionable clothing just because we like how it looks. Plus, we never go off duty. We don’t worry about our “civilian” clothes for we don’t have any. It’s army life all day and everyday for us. Ultimately Ekklesians must be willing to give up choosing the clothes they like and determine themselves to be satisfied with whatever God approves and provides. This is just one more way we can die to ourselves for the sake of God's Kingdom. Just like food, the acquisition of uniforms and other clothes is the responsibility of the leadership. As they seek God they trust that He will lead them in choosing the types and styles of uniforms and other clothing that give glory to God, plus being economical. In this way finances are greatly conserved due to the fact that soldiers don’t waste money on superfluous clothing they might like but don’t really need. Uniformity also saves money because quite often clothes, and many other things, are cheaper when bought in quantity. The time and expense of laundry, alterations, and repair are also greatly minimized when done by us. In essence, every army is nothing but a team where all the members work together to keep the war machine moving forward. Naturally, people on the same team need to be able to identify each other. The easiest way to do it is to wear the same kind of clothes. This is called a uniform, and every army has one. In combat situations it’s critical to be able to recognize those on your side. Accidentally killing one of your fellow soldiers because you didn't recognize them is tragic. Along with identifying those on your team, the uniform displays their rank and often their specific job or function. Uniformity of clothing, along with identification of rank, is indispensable, for it helps the chain of command operate smoothly and efficiently. Another important point is when any group or team decides to get into uniform the levels of morale and unity of purpose are dramatically increased. This "esprit de corps" is valuable because it strengthens the group as a whole. In God's army the wearing of uniforms strongly enhances and enforces the fact that Christians are meant to be of one mind and one accord. This is very important because the enemy is relentless in his attacks, continually trying to undermine and weaken the strength of unified, militant Christians. He greatly fears dedicated unity and teamwork with God in control because it spells his destruction. MATERIAL POSSESSIONS: In the course of our daily lives we regularly use many different things. After shelter, food, and clothing, material possessions make up the next most important category of basic necessities. Let's face it, in order to live and get anything accomplished for God's Kingdom we are going to need a certain amount of stuff and things. Generally, when it comes to material possessions, we almost always need far less than we think we do. When the economy is good and prices are low it's easy to become addicted to stuff and things. Many are languishing in the grip of this powerful monster that buries them alive under huge piles of junk. Praise God He’s given us the answer to this problem as well. Concerning material possessions the ekklesia does what any army does—it supplies the troops with what they need to accomplish the mission. Your basic rank and file soldier is needs to concentrate on carrying out orders and winning the war, not worrying about acquiring stuff and things. Yet obviously someone has to worry about it, and that job usually falls to the leadership, who assigns the task to someone trained to carry it out. The army relies on its soldiers to fight. The soldiers rely on the army to provide them with the tools and weapons they need. This includes transportation, fuel, utilities, along with the countless items we use on a daily basis. Once again, when it comes to material possessions, ekklesia economics determine everything. In the ekklesia needs are brought to the attention of the leadership who then goes about making sure the necessary purchases are made and distribution is carried out. The ekklesia is very active, usually being involved in any number of projects at the same time. By far the most important task is the relentless effort to take Jesus to the world, as well as an ongoing war against the powers of the kingdom of darkness. Because of all this activity the task of securing supplies and coordinating logistics can be overwhelming. Thank God for the wisdom of combined resources controlled by the chain of command. These two factors enable the ekklesia to function smoothly and efficiently, no matter how many projects we’ve got going. As we look to God He makes sure we have what’s needed to keep the war machine rolling. SLEEP: Another important necessity of life is sleep. We can't function very long without it. In fact governments around the world use sleep denial as a form of punishment or torture to weaken or “break” their enemies. Those that study the subject will tell you that getting enough sleep is an important part of staying healthy. Getting enough sleep also means you will stay alert and not become so tired you can't carry out your duties. The question then becomes how much sleep is enough. Like all the other necessities of life, the same rule applies: you usually need less than you think. The problem is, just like eating, people enjoy sleeping. It feels good to relax and have a good rest. If given the chance, many people will overindulge in sleep, wasting countless hours that could otherwise be used to good advantage. When you're sleeping you can't get much done for God's Kingdom. This is why it’s wise to let God regulate our sleep. By doing this we accomplish the most we can for Him while staying healthy and alert at the same time. It's at this point that we are again faced with a choice. It comes down to us or God. Are we willing to subordinate, submit, and surrender what we like, what makes us feel good, to the requirements of life in God's army? Will we let our lives be fitted into His plans that are designed to help us endure to the end victoriously—even if it means losing sleep? Or do we want to stay in bed? How much are you willing to deny yourself and sacrifice for God's Kingdom? How deeply do you love the Lord? These can be painful questions, yet it's questions like these that separate true disciples from the shallow imposters that are happy playing church. Ekklesia Living gives you many ways to die to yourself and live for God. Letting God regulate your sleep is one of them. Sleep must be brought under God's control if we intend to keep it in its proper perspective and benefit from it. Every army runs according to schedules, and the ekklesia is no different. Early to rise, curfew at night: this is the basic plan that keeps sleep from becoming a problem. With the exceptions of sickness and fatigue from overwork, all the members are expected to stick to the daily routine. Every hour of the day is accounted for and fit into the schedule, even those spent sleeping. If you can’t imagine living without "sleeping in" then you’d be better off in civilian life. There’s no place for that type of indulgence in the army. Wake up! There's a war on! If you claim to be a soldier of the Lord then let Him schedule your days--and nights. PURPOSE/GOALS: The last necessity we must look at is the very real need of having a purpose or goal for your life. Yes, everyone has a goal or purpose that governs their actions, or lack thereof. Even the laziest people have goals: striving to do as little as possible becomes their goal. Without godly purpose and direction we degenerate into decaying blobs of humanity, worthless eaters taking up space and resources without giving anything back. That is definitely not the kind of life God intends for His people. Instead, God intends to direct His people, keeping them active and aggressive for His Kingdom, focusing their minds and hearts on continual obedience to His plans and purposes. Living for God is the best life there is! Armies are highly structured organizations and they always have a purpose. They exist for one reason: to defend and protect the nation or kingdom to whom they belong from enemy attack, whether it be internal or external. This also involves attacking and counterattacking when needed. This goal is no secret and every army expends the needed time and resources to teach, train, and equip their soldiers so they are able to attain it. In other words, the goal or mission of the army becomes the dominating force in the soldier's life. Again, the ekklesia is no different. God also teaches, trains, and equips His spirit soldiers according to the purposes and goals of His army. We know who we are fighting for and why. We know who our enemies are what they can do to us. Soldiers of this world often become disillusioned, discouraged, and impatient as they wait for their enlistment to end. Frequently their service is reduced to the daily grind of boring routines where watching the clock becomes the main attraction. Occasionally the governments of this world decide that a war would benefit their agendas so they crank out the propaganda and fire up the war machine. Everybody gets excited and the troops are called into action. Sure, this may be more exciting than guard duty, but it can also be fatal. Whatever the case may be, soldiers are bound to obey orders whether they like it or not. Many soldiers apply a thin veneer of patriotism so they can feel good about themselves—until the government betrays them. In God's army things are different. When you know that your commander is the Living God who always has your good in mind, and that you belong to the most noble army on earth, the army that sheds no blood, your existence becomes very meaningful, satisfying, and rewarding. It's a good feeling to know that you are fighting to liberate souls from sin—especially if you were once bound by the same chains. What a humbling but exciting thought to know that you can play a part in bringing others into contact with the Lord—the only source of true joy, peace, and satisfaction. I don't think a better goal or purpose in life can be found! CONCLUSION There’s no doubt about it, the ekklesia is an army! Hopefully we’ve made that plain in this and the previous segment of our series. Undoubtedly, when it comes to army life and the requirements of soldiering, the ekklesia is more demanding, more disciplined, and demands a higher standard than worldly armies. Plus, when you consider enlistment in God's army is for life, it’s easy to see that Soldiers of the cross are in a class by themselves. Their enlistment is based on revolutionary love that changed their life. Their commander is all knowing and all powerful. He doesn't make mistakes. Plus, how many commanders have actually laid down their lives for their troops like Jesus did? Best of all, He’s always with them, fighting right alongside His men (and women) no matter where on earth they may be. This is the army we belong to. What about you? There's never been a better time to join the army that sheds no blood. Enlist today! Why not spend the rest of your life serving the King and the Kingdom of Heaven. You won't be sorry you did, but you'll be eternally sorry if you don't. TABLE OF CONTENTS God’s Perfect Family Part 10 W hen it comes to providing for our needs, there is no one better equipped to do it than the Living God—the one who created us. Because He made us, He knows exactly what we have need of. In fact, God is the only one who can truly "set our clock," for He knows what makes us tick. Like an expert watchmaker, He assembles the parts and pieces with care, testing His work as He goes. He has one goal in mind: to create such a well-built watch that it keeps perfect time and hopefully outlives many owners. God has created a precision timepiece called the ekklesia, and naturally it’s designed to move according to God's timetable—not too fast, not too slow. The ekklesia is meant to be a living example of His incredible handiwork. When all the parts and pieces are integrated and working like they should, something beautiful emerges: a people moving in harmony with the mind of their Creator. This is Ekklesia Living, and it's time you found out more about it. As well as making precision machines, God is also an extraordinary weaver. The material He produces is special—it’s woven from human lives. We know an ordinary weaver would never attempt to produce fabric using a mixed up collection of thread from various weights, lengths, colors, and characteristics. Eventually the different threads would oppose each other and begin fighting. The strong threads would break and tear the weaker ones. The short pieces would be ridiculed by the full skeins. Proud silk would disdain and criticize homespun, while the vibrant colors would express their superiority in comparison with the more subdued, subtle tones. It just wouldn't work right. Before long the fabric would come unraveled with loose ends all over the place. Not something the weaver wants to take credit for—much less try to sell. This composite fabric is a picture of sin-stained humanity's efforts at civilization. The strongest fabrics—the cultures that endure the test of time—invariably teach and enforce high levels of uniformity and morality. At their zenith some have appeared indestructible. Yet even the best, most beautifully designed societies end up self-destructing. Why? Because the thread of humanity is irreparably weakened by sin. Greed, power struggles, and cruelty plague the loom as long as man is the weaver. But God is not the ordinary weaver. He can create the most beautiful fabric from the widest variation of threads imaginable. How? He recreates the thread! He makes the thread like new, dealing with the sin problem. God repairs and strengthens the inherent weaknesses in the thread until it is strong and useful—even beautiful. Then He creates an environment under the control of His wisdom where He is able to weave the different threads together in harmony, forever free from the curse of sin. What a miracle! In other words, God uses His disciples here on earth to form cultures and societies according to His wisdom. Once formed, they are meant to remain under His control—the way He intended it to be from the beginning. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? It's always wise to examine our motives and desires, making sure they are pleasing to the Lord. What are you looking for in a family anyway? Are your desires centered around nothing more than gratifying the flesh? Are you looking to be materially, emotionally, and sexually satisfied? Do you want to reinforce some proud image of yourself, proving that you've "got it together" in the eyes of the world? Do you want to burden the world with another pack of wild, rebellious brats? Or are you looking to build and be part of something that will be a useful tool in God's Kingdom? These questions are important. Ultimately, what you want out of a family, both naturally and spiritually, will determine how well you fit in the ekklesia—or if you even fit at all. Of course everyone has questionable intentions lurking somewhere in their heart, yet don't let that discourage you. God can purify your motives and bring them into line as you cooperate with the working of His Spirit in your life. Up to this point we've looked at what the ekklesia is in real life, examining how it functions in actual day-to-day living. We've compared it first to the human body, and secondly to an army, in hopes of shedding more light on how this unique machine actually works. We continue in part 10 by looking at how God has designed the ekklesia to function as the ideal family for His people. MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS We have shown in earlier segments of our series how the ekklesia is easily the most efficient, economical system you can find when it comes to providing for our basic physical needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. Holding all things in common, along with letting God determine the quantity and quality of what we need, are the keys to its success. Of course the surrounding economic environment in which the ekklesia lives inevitably affects how our needs are met. If the ekklesia happens to live in a poor country or under an oppressive government, these circumstances must be reckoned with. Thank God that He miraculously intervenes on our behalf. By God's wisdom, the ekklesia makes the most of the provision at hand. Whether it's feast or famine, God makes sure His people are provided for. Yet when it comes to meeting our spiritual needs, the ekklesia surpasses even our greatest expectations no matter where it may be or in what type of environment it may be located. As one studies the broad range of human nature, three major abstract needs always rise to the forefront of life and demand attention. These needs are: 1. Spiritual, 2. Social, and 3. Governmental. From the beginning God has ordained the family structure in order to meet these needs. When the ekklesia is functioning as designed, with God at its head exercising control, it becomes the ideal family that satisfies these needs. In other words, joining a true, Spirit-led ekklesia means you've just joined the perfect family. Everything you've ever wanted, hoped for, or dreamed of in a family will surround you as you abandon yourself and become integrated into the living fabric of the ekklesia. How can we make such a bold statement? We've been proving it for more than twenty years! When it comes to family life, it doesn't get any better than Ekklesia Living. Let's look at the three kinds of needs and how they are met. 1. OUR SPIRITUAL NEEDS From the very beginning man was created a spiritual being. We were meant to live, move and have our existence together with God in the spiritual realm. God breathed His Spirit into Adam and brought him to life. The Bible tells us that God walked in the garden of Eden together with Adam and Eve, fellowshiping with them and enjoying their company. What a beautiful picture! Then something happened that changed the entire course of human history. We all know the story. Sin came into the picture, and with sin came death. When Adam and Eve sinned they died. Of course they continued to live physically, Adam making it over 900 years, yet spiritually they were dead—cut off from the source of life. God even drove them out of the beautiful garden which He had made just for them. Fortunately, even back then God had a plan, and the culmination of that plan was realized thousands of years later outside Jerusalem on a little hill called Calvary. The way was made open once again, and then, for the first time since the garden of Eden, man was able to return to that place of close spiritual communion with God. All men can have the stain of sin removed and come boldly into the presence of God. Best of all we can be friends again like it was meant to be. Thank God for Jesus! Getting to the point, as disciples of Jesus we are meant to live in the realm of the Spirit, walking and talking with our God on a daily basis, like Adam and Eve did in the garden. Just a couple small problems: the same creep that caused our original parents so much trouble is still on the loose. Of course we know that Satan met his ultimate defeat at the cross, yet he acts like he's still in control and nothing has happened. This can cause us many difficulties, especially since we are all born with a part of us, which if left uncontrolled, will side with the enemy in his wicked schemes to destroy us. Plus, the actual garden is gone forever. Noah's flood made sure of that. The best we can do now is get back to that realm in the Spirit, to that place where we can walk closely with our God. What's the answer? We recreate the garden ourselves. We establish and stake out a realm in the Spirit where we live in harmony with our God. The real-estate can be anywhere in the world, but the critical factor is the spiritual atmosphere must be controlled by God. Another name for this is Ekklesia Living. With God in control, the ekklesia is designed to fulfill every spiritual need man may have. BACK TO THE GARDEN Those who have done even basic gardening know that if you expect your plants to grow strong and produce a crop certain conditions must be met; basic necessities must be provided. You might have a fruit tree in your yard, yet if it's starved for water don't expect much from it. If you try to plant vegetables in hard, rocky, desert soil without improving it you're just wasting seeds. One essential thing the ekklesia does is create an atmosphere ideal for spiritual growth. A safe, healthy, nourishing place is made in the Spirit so those who want to grow in God can do so as fast as they desire. The ekklesia can be compared to a greenhouse where all the important aspects of the environment are controlled to assure optimum growing conditions. The best part is that God is in control, not religious men. On the other hand, Babylon Churchianity provides very poor growing conditions: not enough water, poor nourishment, lots of weeds, and no pruning or cultivation. No wonder modern Christians are immature, stunted and weak. Plus they are damaged by pests and disease (demons and sin) and virtually fruitless. There’s a lot more to real Christianity than the paltry substitute called “church.” As we walk with the Lord the only thing that prevents our spiritual growth is lack of cooperation with God. If we cultivate an attitude of loving obedience we will experience real spiritual growth which leads to prolific fruit in our lives—fruit the Lord can partake of and enjoy. How does the ekklesia make life in Christ so much better? Just as the wise gardener waters regularly, the ekklesia prays regularly, setting times so that all the members can pray together on a daily basis. Any Christian who has made progress in God's Kingdom will tell you that your spiritual health is directly related to how much time you devote to prayer. A praying Christian is a strong Christian. As we humbly approach God and beg Him for help, or as we praise and worship Him in an attitude of gratitude, He graciously pours out the water of His Spirit upon us. Without this living Spirit water we will quickly dry up and die. The leaders God sets over any true ekklesia will, of necessity, be people of prayer. Therefore, under their leadership, the ekklesia always recognizes the importance of prayer. The wise gardener also realizes that his plants need nourishment. There must be something in the soil upon which they can feed. In the same way Christians need to be fed. The Bible speaks of this spiritual food as milk and meat: milk for the new Christians and meat for the more mature. God realizes this need and accordingly appoints and anoints preachers, teachers, evangelists, and prophets who can feed and nourish the body of Christ, strengthening His people with His Word. Just as prayer is offered on a regular basis, so is teaching and preaching. Again, the ekklesia provides the perfect stage for bringing forth this type of spiritual nourishment. The soldiers live together and can be easily notified and assembled in a few minutes. Plus, impromptu teaching and exhortation as the Spirit leads poses no problem as the day is filled with opportunities for such. The most beautiful aspect of the ekklesia is that the Holy Spirit will always prompt teachers and preachers to do their job. In this way God's people receive the spiritual food they need to keep them strong and healthy. Continuing with the garden analogy, the careful gardener understand the importance of keeping the garden in order, cultivated, and weed free. In the spiritual garden of our life this activity translates into training, guidance, and correction. Keeping the plants in their proper rows and beds so they can be easily managed is common to most every garden. This is where Spirit-led leadership shows its true value. The experienced gardener knows watermelons lie on the ground, beans and peas like to climb, potatoes are buried, and tomatoes are delicate. So naturally he deals with each one accordingly. In the same way God's people also have different needs and talents, and as the leaders of the ekklesia seek God, He uses them to guide, counsel, and give correction according to His wisdom. You think, "So what. They do that in churches too." Maybe so, but not to the same degree or quality that the ekklesia provides. The major difference is that in the ekklesia the leaders live with the people. This way nothing can be hidden and God's leaders can make informed, accurate decisions because they know the facts. When someone has a problem, or they need guidance or correction, in the ekklesia they need not wait long to talk to someone who can help them. You don't have to make an appointment to see your leaders—you'll see them at mealtime everyday. See if your church can do that. PULLING WEEDS Weeds are a problem in any garden, just like bad habits and attitudes pose problems in our life. Again, the ekklesia provides the perfect environment for keeping our gardens weed free. One thing God's leaders soon find out is that they must allow the Spirit to use them to cultivate spiritual soil. This involves breaking up the hard crust that creeps over the hearts of so many Christians, making them dull and insensitive to the Spirit. Regular cultivation keeps the ground soft and workable, as well as killing any newly sprouted weeds. Besides turning the soil they must also be expert weed pullers. For if they neglect to deal with the weeds that do spring up, if they don't correct and deal with bad habits and rotten attitudes in the community, soon they will take over completely, and no one wants a garden like that. Although dealing with weeds may be an unpleasant task, the very life of the plants depends on it. It is a stark reality that sinful habits and bad attitudes can quickly snuff out the Christian's life. They do their work so well that many continue on with religious routines, not even realizing they’ve died. This is why God's true leaders accept the fact that it is their job to correct, rebuke, chastize, and discipline those under their care. They must also be able to deliver those that need demons cast out, for many times it is demonic infiltration that causes our problems. Those who have been lost in the confusion of Babylon churchianity know that you rarely, if ever, encounter this kind of delivering power in church. If anything, Pastor Prosperous works on pulling those "stingy weeds" that keep his people from paying up like they should. He carefully avoids the demon issue, because he's got a few of his own that he doesn't know what to do with. Of course Pastor Pervert wants everybody to enjoy themselves and have a good time, so he never rocks the boat. That's church life, and you can bet it's full of weeds. Just like tending a garden, you need to carefully watch over your walk with God, taking care to make sure you get what you need in the Spirit. And like the garden, if you don't take care of it, keeping it watered and weeded, don't expect to see it produce much fruit. When it's all said and done, if you want a healthy, fruitful spiritual life the ekklesia is the place to find it. It works so well because the ekklesia has been intentionally designed to meet the spiritual needs of man. Why? Because the One who designed the ekklesia also created the ones who are meant to live in it. 2. OUR SOCIAL NEEDS The next type of need that must be met we call social. These needs come into being because of the fact that our lives are full of interaction with others. Unless they've been mentally/emotionally damaged or traumatized in their personality, the normal person enjoys being around other people, especially people that share their same interests. This is not surprising, for from the beginning God desired to spend time with His people. Since we are created in the image of God it logically follows that we should desire to spend time with each other. The fact is people need other people to help them get through life, and Christians are no exception. The person who believes they don't need anyone else is usually self-centered and proud. Of course God knows our need for social interaction and He has given us the ekklesia to meet that need. FAMILIES WITHIN THE FAMILY Marriage and the family unit have been God's design from the very beginning. Far from splitting up families, the ekklesia encourages family life. Actually the ekklesia is one large family made up of many smaller families. In this way the community family is able to reinforce and support the smaller family units. The larger ekklesia becomes a godly example to which the smaller families can look. One great advantage of living with your leaders is that both marriage and family counseling is readily available anytime. This is especially helpful for new couples until they get adjusted to married life. Many serious problems are intercepted and dealt with before they can do much damage because experienced leadership sees them coming. Naturally, each family is its own individual unit consisting of a set of parents and, hopefully, children. Yet God never laid down a law saying that each family must live independently, separated from the rest of the body of Christ. People came up with that idea. Why? Because it’s comfortable and doesn't demand too much. The truth is the idea of daily submitting your life, and the life of your family, to the guidance of others, no matter how qualified, goes directly against man's independent nature—and that’s something you don’t want to tangle with. Many will endure great suffering—even death—rather than be told what to do. In other words, people can live with church, but an ekklesia—that’s asking too much! In the ekklesia each family agrees to be submitted to the guidance of God's leaders who often have families of their own. This is God's perfect plan: groups of small families making up one larger family, all connected and directed by the Spirit of God. Another blessing is that in the ekklesia you're never lonely. In fact you have to work at it to get lonely. If you keep a good attitude and go with the program you'll always be interacting with others. Best of all, everyone else is of the same mind and spirit as yourself. Of course there are those occasions when someone is grumpy because they woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or extra irritated by the pressure of a heavy workload. But those are the exceptions, not the rule, and it seems there is always someone else right around the corner who is praising God. More than just being around other people, the quality of the living environment is an important issue as well. Sure, you can go to any big city and be around a lot of people—but are you safe? Do others love and accept you? Is there friendly support or hostile indifference? Being around other people is only part of the equation. Not just the quantity, but the quality of social interaction greatly determines how much a person enjoys life. Quality makes all the difference. Again the ekklesia wins. Why? Because God is in control. And when God is in charge He makes sure those under His care live by His rules. This translates into true love and respect, genuine care and concern between those who have become God’s family. You think it can't be done? It’s being done! All it takes are people who will humble themselves before God, understand they belong to His army, and then do their best to live in holiness and mutual obedience as the Spirit leads. SAFE AND SECURE One great benefit is that the ekklesia is safe, and this is very important. Of course some people can defend themselves, especially strong men with guns. But what about the children? What about the young ladies? The world is full of dangerous, demonized people. Some even appear friendly to win your confidence. Scandals involving child molestation and abuse are continually uncovered—even among those calling themselves God's people. Plus, the many forms of rape are always waiting for their chance. As a parent, a leader, or just a concerned individual, it is critical that zero tolerance be allowed these types of behavior. In the ekklesia it is understood that God's moral laws are the standard, and if you want to be part of the community you agree to live by the rules. As every member takes it upon themselves to guard and protect the other members, the internal environment achieves a very high level of safety. Of course there are always those painful incidents where people fail to control themselves. Yet these are rare and quickly dealt with by diligent, Spirit-led leadership. Ultimately, we look to God for our protection. As He is given the control He desires, problems are intercepted, isolated, and taken care of before damage is done. Can you see why Satan hates Ekklesia Living? As life moves ahead, people need to know they are loved and accepted by those around them. Because God is in control, those belonging to the ekklesia reflect the beautiful fact that God loves and accepts any and all who come to Him. Whoa! Does that mean we give license to any creepy, demonized sicko who demands God accept them yet refuses to abandon their sins? Never! God's loving acceptance is universal, but also conditional. You must cooperate with God in His efforts to change you if you want to be welcomed as one of His children. Once everyone understands that God is in control and we must conform ourselves to His will, things fall into place and work like they should. An environment of loving acceptance can mean a lot to someone suffering from rejection. In most modern cultures it seems that much of life is based on appearance and ability. Being beautiful and talented is your key to success and acceptance in many social circles. Of course not everyone is beautiful or talented. Plus many are scarred by the ravages of sin. Faced with this, many people fall into deep pits of rejection, despair, depression, self-hatred—even suicide. How tragic. Yet reality dictates that unless you pretend to be a lust-filled fashion model, a death-defying sports hero, or a gossip-soaked drama queen, then a large percentage of people won't have much to do with you. Why? Because they are all pretenders too. Yet the ekklesia judges by a different standard. Outward appearance and worldly accomplishments don't carry much weight with God. What God wants to see is a humble heart and a willing, obedient attitude. God is not impressed with who you think you are or what you've done. He's seen it all before. What really interests God is who you could be and what you could do once you’ve given your life to Him. This is where the ekklesia shines. Anyone can become a valuable, useful member of God's Kingdom, no matter what they look like or what they've done. God has designed the ekklesia with a very special function—it actually recycles human garbage—turning damaged, worthless people into valuable assets. When anyone suffering from rejection, depression, or self-hatred abandons their life to God and comes under the ekklesia’s atmosphere of loving acceptance, new life begins to bloom and a new person emerges. God's love is miracle-working power the world doesn't have. Search far and wide—you'll only find the real thing when you find God's true people. SUPPORT SYSTEMS The third factor that affects the quality of life is the availability of support and guidance. It's a good feeling to know those you live with support you in what you're doing. What's even better is that they are ready to lend a hand or give sound advice when you need it. In His merciful wisdom God has integrated many valuable support systems into the ekklesia design. For example, raising children can be quite a demanding job, especially for new mothers. Then when more than one "little blessing" comes along the work seems to multiply exponentially. The ekklesia is designed to handle children at all stages of growth. All the way from birth, through training and education, as well as instruction in career skills—the ekklesia has them covered. Ekklesia mothers don't run to the hospital and pay thousands of dollars to have a baby. Home birth with experienced, prayerful midwives is the answer. Nor do they cart their toddlers off to some worldly daycare either. They have their own, staffed with quality babysitters recruited from the ekklesia itself. What a perfect way to teach future mothers how to take care of babies. Then when it's time for school all they have to do is send their children to the building next door, for the ekklesia has its own educational system with Spirit-filled teachers and administrators. What happens when someone gets sick? It's no mystery that in the U.S. alone medical expenses soar into the billions every year. Medical doctors are the priests of a deeply entrenched religious system. When people in the world get sick they run to the doctor. Not so in the ekklesia. We don't deny that doctors have their place in the world, yet in the ekklesia we look first to the Great Physician—the One who secured our healing with His bloody back and nail-scarred hands. Ekklesians believe in God's miraculous healing power, and because we believe, God heals. Neither are our elderly placed in expensive staging areas called nursing homes to wait for their appointment with death. Our family takes care of our elders here at home until God takes them to their eternal home. What about the cares of this life? Food, clothing, housing, transportation: these things can't be avoided. Because the ekklesia is careful to seek God and implement the wisdom He gives, these needs are wonderfully met, often in miraculous ways. God is our provider, and when we obey His commands, trusting in His goodness, He never fails to give us what we have need of. We can't be afraid of hard work, but then consider who we're working for. How many can honestly claim that the Living God controls their business? What a privilege! People work like slaves for the world, and their bosses often resemble those Egyptian fellows that Moses had to deal with. That's the way of the world, and it can be horribly merciless and cruel. When God shows us ways to support ourselves we work hard at it and God blesses. Of course Ekklesia Living does take faith. You must believe that God is in control; that He will provide and protect. This may seem a little difficult, but do you want to be a real Christian or not? If you want to be real then you have to let God make you that way. Sometimes the reality making process isn't very pleasant. No one likes their pride exposed or their bad habits picked on. Plus, the only way to know if your faith is real is to put it to the test, and often the tests seem extreme. Yet no matter how painful it may appear, the bottom line is that God is good to His people. We will loudly proclaim this truth as long and as often as we are able. Life in the ekklesia has made believers out of us. From the cradle to the grave, God has designed the ekklesia so that all our social needs are met. 3. OUR GOVERNMENTAL NEEDS The third category of needs the family unit is designed to meet deals with the authority and laws that govern our lives. Remember, the God you worship makes the laws you live by. The truth is that man was created to be ruled over by God. God does not need any competition, and when men attempt to rule themselves they inevitably end up in disaster. Everyone, except the hopelessly rebellious, will admit we need laws to govern our lives. We need boundaries that tell us how far we can go and when we must stop. Yet when people play lawmaker the results are disastrous. Any governmental systems of man that seem to be working well, like the U.S.A. or U.K., can be traced back to a foundation that rests on God's moral laws. We need someone above and beyond us, someone who is not corrupted by sin, to tell us what is right and wrong. God has designed the government of the ekklesia to meet these requirements. And it works well as long as people recognize God's supreme authority and obey His commands. In the average family either one or both of the parents decide which set of rules the family is to live by. How well they live by those rules is another matter, but the point is somebody lays down the law. In the ekklesia family God the Father fills that spot. In fact, He laid down the law thousands of years ago when He delivered His people from captivity in Egypt. To put it another way, God said, "I'll be your God and you can be my people. I'll tell you how to live and then you do it." The Israelites agreed, and the laws God gave them have endured the test of time like no other. It's no wonder, for every plan God implements is guaranteed to work perfectly—as long as everyone involved plays their part. God gave us the perfect system, yet few want to live according to His plan. Most settle for the game called church, but then you're stuck with the church system that fails miserably when it comes to meeting your needs. OUTPOSTS OF GOD'S KINGDOM Each ekklesia is meant to be an outpost of God's Kingdom here on earth. God longs to establish His government in the midst of His people, but this takes sacrificial, obedient cooperation: something the church crowd is short on. In the ekklesia Jesus is our King and we are His subjects. God's moral laws and Spirit commands govern our lives. When we are unclear about what to do we seek His face and He guides us by His Spirit. Yet what good are even the best laws without enforcement? Inevitably someone breaks the law. This has been going on for centuries, and the horrible things that happen among men are the result. Yet in the ekklesia it's different. God lives and moves among us, and of course we all live together. In this way God is easily able to enforce His laws. He uses His leaders to make sure everything operates like it should, rendering decisions, passing judgements, and dealing with problems guided by His wisdom. Virtually all church denominations have their own governing bodies. Yet the ekklesia is governed quite differently than man-made organizations. We are governed by what we call theocracy—a government controlled by the Spirit of the Living God. In other words, God established and rules over the theocracy. Although the governments of the world may impact us externally, internally we are not subject to the whims and fickle fantasies of pagan politics. Neither is our government bound by any specific physical location. Because God is omnipresent, covering the entire earth, so is His government. If we move we take our government with us, and it holds good no matter where we land. By reason of who He is, God claims the ultimate authority over the lives of all men. Because of this we understand that our government is meant to be recognized as higher than the governments of this world. Unfortunately, other governments don't see it the same way. Naturally, when we proclaim the truth of God's sovereign nation in the midst of rival pagan cultures it causes friction and things start heating up. Our behavior is never the issue, for true Christians generally make the best citizens. We strive to live peacefully with all men if possible. The fact is that all governments are intolerant of competition—especially when it sets up within their borders. Needless to say this leads to persecution. We're not surprised, for Jesus gave us warning: "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake" (Matt. 10:22). Are we hated because we're decent, hard-working people that love God? Sometimes. Yet the main reason we're hated is because Jesus is our King, He has established His government in our lives, and in the end we will serve no other. The beautiful thing is that as subjects of God's Kingdom we are guaranteed the right to worship Him no matter what anyone says or does in opposition. Of course we want life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness like everyone else. But ultimately the only thing that matters is that we serve our God and live by His commands. It’s priceless treasure like this that living under the government of God secures. God is the best civil rights attorney in the world and He will move Heaven and earth for a people who desire to serve Him. A LIGHT IN THE DARK The root of the problem is we live in the midst of the unsaved (including church people) who refuse to recognize our government. The governments of this world continually try to claim God's people as their own, enforcing loyalty and obedience to their laws. Why? Because God's arch enemy controls the governments of the world, using them as weapons to attack God's people and to stop the growth of His Kingdom. For wisdom's sake we are willing to cooperate with other governments as long as their demands do not violate either the laws of God or our conscience. Yet if asked to do things we can't do we must refuse and beg God to help us endure the consequences. Paul tells us to live peacefully with all men as much as possible, and this is our intention. No doubt it is the wisest choice because we are seriously outnumbered. We're not troublemakers in the negative sense, we just want to destroy Satan's kingdom. Of course we can't stop other governments from attacking us—only God can do that. Yet as we look to God for guidance and protection the enemy will never prevail against us. He may knock us down, but by God's strength we rise again. Ultimately our final obedience belongs to God. This is extremely important, for if we compromise at this point we will cease to be God's Holy Tribal Nation. Through the centuries many of our brethren have walked this difficult path, paying the price with their broken bodies, blood and tears to secure the glorious truths of God's Kingdom. It is these faithful souls who make up that great cloud of witnesses who anxiously watch to see if we are willing to make the sacrifices God requires; to do whatever He asks in order to secure His rule over us. Though it may be uphill, rough, and sometimes bloody, the ekklesia will follow that path. A QUESTION TO CONSIDER IN CLOSING Understanding that God created man with very real spiritual, social, and governmental needs, and furthermore considering that God instituted the family structure to meet those needs, an important question arises: what should Christians do in situations where family or friends are opposed to the will of God. Jesus told us we must be willing to forsake both relatives and friends if need be, even hating father, mother, etc. in order to qualify as one of His true followers (Luke 14:26). This makes sense, for the Word of God also tells us that we cannot be unequally yoked with unbelievers (II Cor. 6:14). Jesus was not unreasonable, harsh, or unloving. His mercy flowed continually to any who sincerely sought it. We know He wasn't a hypocrite. He proved that at the cross. The only way Jesus could make such difficult, seemingly impossible demands against opposing family and friends was because He knew God had a better plan. Ekklesia Living is the answer. In every respect the ekklesia is meant to become the new family for those who must forsake unsaved relatives and friends. It's like a trade-in that's too good to be true. You give up questionable relationships which are generally riddled with demonic problems in order to become part of God's Spirit family. What a deal! All it takes is a willingness to change. Sadly, when it comes to living a truly Spirit-led life, many face opposition from their family and friends in the flesh. Admittedly, there are many instances where whole families attempt to serve God together. Most often this is done in a church environment where the demands are kept to a minimum and God is mainly given lip service. This usually doesn't accomplish much. Then there are those rare instances where both parents are serious about discipleship, taking great pains to raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Yet try as they might, they soon find out that the odds are against them as they face relentless enemy attacks. Although these families are more blessed than most, until they are able to join an ekklesia they are missing out on many treasures God has for them. Yet generally when someone hears the call to a deeper, more sacrificial walk with Jesus (which is nothing but the life of true discipleship), those around them, including "good, church-going Christians" and "well-meaning friends" often do not understand. Even though the call of God may be clear, few are willing to forsake family and friends, even when it's obvious those relationships are antagonistic towards God's plan for their lives. Nevertheless, if your situation demands you forsake family and friends in the flesh, God will make sure you are incorporated into His international family. We speak from experience—those who make that sacrifice are richly rewarded. God is good and He knows what we need. If we are called to sacrifice for Him we must not complain. Let the Spirit take you back to a blood-stained hill outside of Jerusalem and solemnly ponder how much He sacrificed for us. ONLY TWO CHOICES The inescapable reality of life is that we are not free to do anything we want. We have only two choices before us: follow the Living God and live according to His plan, or follow some other plan. On the mental realm the choice is easy. But forcing your flesh into submission is another matter. If you follow God's plan He will supply everything you need to be fruitful and multiply in His Kingdom. Obedience to God's plan brings blessings that can be obtained no other way. God wants His family to live together in peace and harmony, thus giving the world around them a shining example of what He can do for those who will live according to His plan. We have proven, at least to ourselves, that the ekklesia is God's perfect family. We hope others will see it as well. Every need, every desire that has been built into man by God is perfectly satisfied by the ekklesia. The keys to joining this family were given by Jesus many years ago, "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt. 16:24). It's that simple, yet that difficult. The heart that loves Jesus will hear the call and understand. The door is open. Won't you come in? TABLE OF CONTENTS A People God Can Call His Own Part 11 N earing the end of our series on the ekklesia, it would be interesting to take a look at the ekklesia through God's eyes. What does God see? What does He want to see when He looks at His people? So far we have talked about what the ekklesia means to us. But what is it supposed to mean to the One who is the essence of life in His people? This is important to know, for if we truly love God we are going to want to please Him. In order to please Him you must know what He desires. This becomes the lifelong quest of all true disciples: seeking to please the One who gave His life for them. Of course we know that faith greatly pleases God. In fact, Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. Yet next on the list of activities that please God is obedience—that definite decision that is directly connected to faith and which automatically results in holiness. So, if we want to please God we must believe in Him, love Him and obey Him. To put it another way we must live the way God wants us to live. That has been the objective of this short series of articles: to show that Ekklesia Living is God's perfect system by which His people should live. So far we've given many examples of how Ekklesia Living benefits us, including practical, economic, social and governmental aspects. Finally, we want to discover what it is that makes the ekklesia valuable to God—something He cherishes. It is a good feeling to know that you’re spending your life in a way that pleases God, to know that you are part of something important and dear to God. It is this working partnership with God that gives our existence true meaning and helps us keep our heads above water in the rat race for survival. Life becomes a joy, not a burden; a privilege, not slavery, when you know your life is an important part of God's plan for eternity. Life is worth living when you live for God. There is no greater joy than seeing the miracle hand of God in action. The excitement of being used by God to lead others into His Kingdom is hard to beat. This is Ekklesia Living—a beautiful thing in God's eyes. Upon examining the different ways God looks at His ekklesia people (those who serve Him in loving obedience, not the multitude of Babylonian buffoons who use His name as they play religious games) three main categories come into view: 1. An outpost of God's Kingdom on earth 2. A people God can use 3. His beloved bride. Let’s begin. 1. AN OUTPOST OF GOD'S KINGDOM ON EARTH "The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1). Despite what fallen humanity may think, despite man's attempts to divide the earth with political boundaries and claim particular sections as "their own," God is still sovereign over the entire earth. Make no mistake about it, no matter what man says or does, God is ultimately in control. The Bible also tells us that one day God is going to create a new Heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21:1) where those who love Him will walk with Him as He intended it to be in the beginning. All true believers who walk with the Lord will long for that glorious day when God shall be established as supreme ruler throughout the earth. Until then we're stuck with the mess we've made. Thank God He hasn't totally abandoned us, for we would surely self-destruct. Many do anyway. Yet in His mercy He has made a plan to save us. A little over two-thousand years ago God took on the form of a man and walked among His creation. His name was Jesus. In His unfathomable mercy and compassion Jesus chose to take our place and suffer the penalty for our sins. By doing this He opened the way we can come into the presence of God, walking and talking with Him on an intimate level. Now He can be our God and we can be His people. What a miracle! Sadly, multitudes will never know the Savior. Babies continue to be born under the curse of sin and wickedness still rampages through the hearts of men. Compared to the vast multitudes that come and go on this earth, only a small number will make it to Heaven; most will end in Hell. How tragic. Yet there is no one to blame but ourselves. God gave us paradise and we turned it into a junkyard. Until God cleanses the earth and starts over, the best He can do is gather those who love Him into groups where He can make His will evident in their lives. Behold, Ekklesia Living: groups of people brought together by the Spirit of God, determined to live according to God's perfect plan. This beautiful way of life is a glimpse, a living example, of better things to come. We truly thank God for the record of how the first believers followed God’s plan (Acts 2:44; 4:32). Their example gives us hope, for we can do the same. Of course Jesus is available to all, yet not all have met Him, nor want to meet Him, and the wickedness of humanity is so great that for many life is nothing but a horrible, hopeless experience, leading nowhere but the grave. Thank God He has a better way. Admittedly, the ekklesia is by no means perfect. Our sin-stained nature makes sure of that. Nevertheless, our intention is to get as close to perfect as possible. Why not strive for the highest? The Spirit of God is with us, encouraging, guiding, and strengthening us as we continue doing what many claim to be impossible. We have proven that with God's help all things are possible. Ekklesia Living has existed in various degrees ever since Jesus walked and talked with men. Just over two-thousand years ago He established His Kingdom in our midst with power and many have come into it. The Kingdom of God is here—NOW! The desire of God is that it be made manifest in the physical for all to see. Despite our faults and failures, the ekklesia is designed to be a living example of how God's people are meant to live with each other under the government of His Kingdom. Though many do not understand our way of life, some even persecuting us, we are determined to let the whole world see that God has an obedient, loyal people who belong to Him and Him alone. What a privilege to be part of something so meaningful to God. —RECOGNIZING THE KINGDOM Jesus told those following Him: "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you" (Matt. 12:28). Here we learn that you can recognize the Kingdom of God (KOG) by manifestations of the power of God among men—such as the casting out of devils. Jesus also made it known that the KOG is within us (Luke 17:21). Looking at these verses we see that the KOG is actually a dimension in the Spirit where the power of God moves through a people. The supernatural manifestations of God's power are a sure indicator that His Kingdom is present. These manifestations can take many forms: divine healing; prophetic utterances; supernatural words of knowledge and wisdom; miracles of protection and provision; true salvation, conversion, and dominion over sin, along with the breaking of demonic bondages and casting out of devils. Of course we would never limit the KOG to any one group of people, for the KOG is worldwide. Yet, even though God controls the entire earth, His Kingdom is primarily manifested among those who wholeheartedly serve Him and allow His power to move through them. So what does all this mean to us? It means we can experience the power and glory of God’s Kingdom HERE AND NOW! We don’t wait until we die to meet Jesus and enjoy His presence. Why should we wait until death to experience the power of His Kingdom? God has good things for those who love and obey Him—TODAY! Ekklesia Living is the best way to make those blessings a reality in our lives. To keep things in perspective let us not forget that, despite God’s wisdom and power, there are multitudes claiming God's name who are full of the devil and their lives reflect it by their actions or lack thereof. Nice trees—no fruit. Jesus is in their mouth but not in their heart. He’s only a name they use to make friends and influence people, but by no means does He control their lives. If you want to meet folks like these just go to church, for that’s where they love to congregate. Let us also keep in mind that the manifestations of God's power aren't always dramatic or spectacular. God doesn't need to put on a show to impress people like so many notorious TV evangelists. It can be as simple as a miracle of provision, a divine healing, a prophetic Word of comfort or guidance. What to look for is whether the manifestations of God’s power are consistent or not. For often God moves upon people purely out of mercy and compassion, and we praise God for that, yet upon close examination it is obvious that those people are living far from God's standards. The point is that when God has control over the lives of His people His power will be continually present. We are out to prove that the power of God’s Kingdom can be experienced on a regular basis here and now by those willing to trust God and let Him control their lives. With God's help it can be done. Because God is in our midst people come to the ekklesia and find help for their problems that only supernatural power can solve. God can make His direction for their lives known through His prophetic Word. They can be healed when nothing else has worked. In other cases God brings people to the ekklesia in order to judge their sins, expose the working of the enemy in their lives and deliver them—if they cooperate. Many times people do not expect to have their sins exposed and demonic strongholds pinpointed. That wasn't exactly what they were looking for. Consequently many come and then go. The truth is when you come into the presence of a people living in God's light, sooner or later the darkness in you will be exposed. Either you deal with it or leave. Unfortunately, many are uncomfortable with such high levels of concentrated light. Too much honesty bothers them. They are perfectly happy to put on their pretentious costume called religion, settle down and play church. The end result is man's attempt to set up God's Kingdom their way—without God involved. These folks are missing out on so much. Truthfully, if you long to experience the miracle-working power of God then you must let Him control your life. —A NOTE ABOUT CHURCH No doubt there are many sincere, well-meaning people in churches across the land. Many of them may have even met the Lord. Praise God for that. The main problem with the church system is that it is deficient in what it has to offer. It is not God's best plan. Those who settle for a dead church existence are being cheated out of the glorious inheritance God has for His people in two ways: 1) watered-down false teaching, 2) an appalling lack of Holy Spirit conviction and power. God wants to give His people power and dominion over the enemy. Church keeps them weak, tied to the world and bound in sin. God wants His people to experience the joy of 100% commitment. Church says that 10% is enough to satisfy God. What a mockery of the One who gave His life’s blood to redeem us from sin. In contrast, the ekklesia strives to let God control every aspect of life and fill us with the power needed to continue steadfast until the end. We don't tell God what we're going to do; we humbly ask Him what He wants us to do. No sacrifice is too great if it pleases the Living God. —THE RESERVES To better illustrate the contrast between church life and Ekklesia Living we can use a military analogy. Church life can be compared to joining the Reserves. Ekklesia Living is like joining the Special Forces. Let me explain. In the military you have soldiers operating at different levels of commitment starting at the Reserves and climbing up to the Special Forces. No doubt soldiers in the reserves are part of the army, yet they are only required to go in once a month for light training or just to show up and be counted. The rest of the time they are civilians, living and working in the world. People often call them "Weekend Warriors." The requirements aren't too tough and almost anyone who's interested can make that grade. The reserves rarely see battle. Yes they are technically part of the Army, yet in reality the majority of their life is bound up in the civilian world. Of course those in the Reserves like to identify with the army. Many even consider themselves very patriotic. Yet when the bullets are flying it's not the Reserves who are dying. They're at home on the couch watching the action on TV, hoping they don't get called up to serve in a real conflict. It's fine to play soldier once in a while, but thoughts of life or death sacrifice paralyze them. This is the church: weekend warriors for God, claiming all the benefits of His name yet refusing to lay down their lives in any meaningful way. —SPECIAL FORCES In contrast to the reserves you have the Special Forces. These are the real soldiers. The difference lies in the overall attitude and level of commitment. With the Reserves, soldiering is a weekend thing, a chance to socialize and act patriotic. Yet when someone joins the Special Forces soldiering becomes their life. You’re going to live and breathe soldiering. Every aspect of your life is affected by the fact that you belong to something that aspires to the highest level of military excellence. You're striving for the top and you'll do whatever it takes to reach that goal. When the mission is critical, when lives are in the balance, these are the men called into action. They are trustworthy, dependable, highly trained, and they pride themselves on getting the job done. From the very beginning, those who join the Special Forces are made aware that very high levels of discipline, self-control and obedience are required. In addition to rigorous physical training, the Special Forces focus on disciplining and educating the mind. This kind of training the lower grades of soldiers don't receive. Altogether, between the physical and mental training, men that make it through are defined and refined into what the military considers one of its most valuable assets. Many aspire to reach this level yet only a handful succeed. Most can't make the grade. This is Ekklesia Living: a spiritual Special Forces. To avoid confusion we want to make it clear that God is not interested in making people into "killing machines." People kill each other quite well without any help. It's the high level of commitment, the willingness to sacrifice, the obedience, training and discipline that God is looking for. And just like the Special Forces, very few make the ekklesia grade. Not because they can't, for with God's help all things are possible, but because they don't really want to. Even though the rewards are great, few are willing to die to themselves to that degree. Few are willing to follow the footsteps that lead to Calvary. Self-preservation and independence dominating forces in humanity. Naturally, it only makes sense that the few who do decide to give it all are very special in God’s sight. This is Ekklesia Living: an army motivated by love; an army made up of people who have decided to give God their utmost—holding back no reserves. In reality what you have is a spiritual Special Forces, women and children included—for these are often the greatest lovers of God. Soldiers of love, warriors of mercy— these are the “Special Forces” who fill the ranks of God's army. 2. A PEOPLE GOD CAN USE As we study the finer points of Ekklesia Living it’s important to keep in mind that true Christian ekklesias are in essence small parts of the body of Christ. Of course not everyone who belongs to the body of Christ lives in an ekklesia (unfortunately). Nor do you have to live in an ekklesia to belong to the body of Christ. We believe that if you truly belong to Jesus, sooner or later you will desire to join yourself with other members of His body. Our point is there's no better way to do it than Ekklesia Living. The ekklesia is God’s way of proving to the world the benefits of life lived under His loving care and control. God knows people can be very dull. Often they have to see something in action in order to understand it. His plan is to use His people, both individually and collectively, as real-life examples for all the world to see. Like Paul told us, we are meant to be living epistles, read by everyone (2 Corinthians 3:1-3). God’s love and care is so great that He makes sure there are living examples of it in the earth. He does this in hopes that people would see the wisdom, blessing, and joy His way of life offers and choose it. What a privilege to be among that company. Nevertheless, the kingdom of darkness has been hard at work doing anything and everything to undermine and discredit God’s true witness. If he can’t stop you outright, his goal then becomes to keep Christians locked up in starvation camps called churches where they can’t do him much harm. He doesn’t mind if you have a form of godliness as long as you lack the power thereof. Unfortunately the retarded church mentality misleads many. The ekklesia is not some fanatical “Jesus freak” abnormality. Quite the contrary. The ekklesia is God's ultimate plan for His people. In other words it's the way God intended His people to live. The truth is the church crowd, for the most part, lives to please the flesh. As a result their vision is clouded and their understanding is darkened. The thought of dying to self, carrying your cross and following Jesus without question frightens them so much that they attack any who attempt to walk in this higher way of the Spirit. They call us fanatics, extremists and cult members—labels we wear with pride. We have heard the call of the Crucified and we follow. —THE HEART OF THE ISSUE The heart of the issue can be summed up in two simple questions. First, honestly ask yourself what percentage of control does God exercise over your life? It's easy to say you love God. It's another matter to let Him tell you what to do and how to live. Are you willing to let God control your life the way He desires? We answer "Yes!" That’s great! Then comes the second question: how much will you let God tell you what to do? You can already see where this line of thought leads. If God is allowed to control only a small part of your life then that control means very little. How can He use someone He can’t control? If you believe God is really who the Bible says He is—all-knowing, all-powerful, the very definition of love, mercy and wisdom—why wouldn't you want Him to control your entire life? Good question. The answer? Self-centered rebellion. Yes, believe it or not, many claiming they belong to God are selfish, flesh-pleasing rebels. Yet aren't they religious! They think God is so proud of them because they give Him a couple hours a week and maybe 10% of their income (if that). Plus, they’ve taken time to learn all the religious phrases and cliches and they can repeat them when needed. Yet inside they are rebels. They rebel against God’s laws and standards. They despise God’s order. They loath the thought of dying to themselves. In their book “sacrifice” is a dirty word, unless it has to do with pleasing their idols. These types love to play church. And the church is happy to have them as long as they pay up. Church is nothing but man's feeble attempt to have his cake and eat it too. In the ekklesia we offer the whole cake to God—no strings attached. 10% won't cut it. Giving two or three hours a week to God is mockery. With God it has to be all or nothing. Play church all you want. In the end you'll find that you missed the boat. If you happen to be one of the few sincere souls trapped in church (and there are a few) then you better flee from that mess of rotted religious garbage. Your life with God may depend on it. Make up your mind to give God your entire life, seek God with diligence and let Him tell you what to do. —SOMETHING SPECIAL TO GOD Sadly, the world is full of people who don't know God. Inevitably they worship false gods, whether it be themselves or some satanic deception pretending to be God. Yet as soldiers of the cross continue to lift up Jesus as the only true God, many followers of false gods are provoked to anger and become enemies of God and His people. With all these other gods around, conflict is inevitable. God's true people will always be persecuted to some degree. Why? Because the darkness that rules the lost reacts against the light shining from God's children. Though we don't seek persecution, we are not surprised when it comes. We have been forewarned in the scripture. It's part of the package when you follow the Crucified. Yet the Scripture also promises that those who suffer for righteousness will be blessed. How? As we willingly endure suffering for the Lord’s sake we become special in His eyes. It’s a point worth making that the ekklesia is something valuable to God. In it He gathers His people, creating a concentrated beacon of light He can use to guide others into the best was to live. And not just the best way, but the right way—the way that is pleasing to God. At the same time, because living the gospel means preaching the gospel, the ekklesia is also a vocal reminder to those living the wrong way that they will be damned. Light exposes darkness, and when it shines brightly it hurts the eyes of those who have been imprisoned in the dark. This irritation causes different reactions. Many get angry and try to turn the light off. They prefer to sit in the comfortable darkness of idolatry. Others rejoice, for even though it hurts their eyes, they are thankful to have found the way out of the darkness. It is God's plan that the ekklesia be that bright and shining light, illuminating the way out for those who desire to escape. The truth is unless God opens the door and shows the way, there is no escaping the darkness that enslaves humanity. Thank God for His mercy. What about the scoffers, mockers and skeptics? The ekklesia is a powerful reminder of how God blesses those who believe in Him and let Him run the show. Through the ekklesia God proves to the entire world that He does have a people He can truly call His own—a people determined to obey Him because the reality of His love has changed their lives. It's not that God has to prove himself to unbelievers, yet in His mercy He reaches out to them, hoping they will see the light and be saved from eternity in Hell. In essence, God gives the world a message through the ekklesia: “Even though man messed up my perfect plan, got kicked out of the garden and caused me to destroy everything living with a flood, there are still those who choose to love me, obey me and let me control their lives.” These people are precious to God, for there are not many of them around, and you can be sure that God takes good care of them. 3. HIS BELOVED BRIDE Finally, we come to the last and most important way God views the ekklesia—a way dear to God's heart. When God looks at the ekklesia He is beholding His dearly beloved bride—a many-membered bridal company with whom He intends to share the glory of His Kingdom throughout eternity. This powerful revelation should fill any serious disciple with awe. The thought of holding such a privileged position, the object of God’s love and desire for all eternity, should bring us to His feet in reverential adoration, especially when we remember that we are nothing but sinners saved by His grace. What we have here is the most incredible love story in history, a story still unfolding today. The Bridegroom loves His bride dearly, yet she is trapped in the wicked castle of sin. There is only one way to ransom her from cruel oppression—He must die. Heroically He faces death, yet, miracle of miracles, death cannot hold Him. He is risen! The power of His love is so strong it breaks the chains of death. In His resurrection glory He calls His bride to prepare herself for the great day of their wedding. Being weak and scarred from her imprisonment to sin our Hero tenderly cares for His beloved. He generously provides all she needs to make herself ready for that wonderful day when He will take her in His arms and carry her over the threshold of His magnificent mansion where they will spend eternity together in love. The best part about this story is that it’s true. Jesus is the Bridegroom and we are the bride. What an honor! What a privilege! Paul the Apostle was also familiar with the idea that the ekklesia is meant to represent the bride of Christ. In II Corinthians 11:2 Paul tells us that he desired to present the Corinthian believers—the ekklesia in Corinth—as a chaste virgin to Christ her husband. Paul mentions the bride again in Ephesians 5:25-27—"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the ekklesia*, 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 ekklesia*, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." **In these verses the English word "church" has been replaced with the actual Greek word, "ekklesia" as it is used in the original text. Throughout the New Testament the Greek word "ekklesia," meaning a group of called-out ones or a Christian assembly, has been wrongly translated as "church." For more details write for our tract: "The Difference Between the Church and the Ekklesia." —WHAT IS GOD LOOKING FOR? Exactly what is God looking for in His bride? Paul's idea of what the bride should be is made clear in these verses, and we can safely assume that he had the mind of Christ. To summarize, Paul tells us that Christ's bride should be a chaste virgin, glorious, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish. A fitting description for one who is going to be Christ's companion for eternity. Yet how in the world are we ever going to fit a description like that? When you consider the miserable, sin-ridden state of humanity, the idea of becoming the bride of Christ seems unbelievable, if not impossible. Yet despite all our problems, we know with Jesus all things are possible. So how is He going to accomplish this seemingly impossible task—the task of transforming garbage (for without Christ we are nothing but trash on the rubbish heap of humanity) into the golden character of His beloved bride? Simple! We have been pointing out all along that Ekklesia Living is God’s way to refine and define, teach and train, mold and shape any and all that truly love Him into those fit to be counted among that privileged number called the bride of Christ. Amy Carmichael, who spent the majority of her missionary life leading an ekklesia in India, taught her children, “Difficult things take time. The impossible take a little longer.” We live by this same rule, patiently looking to God in faith and hope, watching Him as He does the impossible in our lives. As you live in the ekklesia you begin to realize that you have found a way of life unlike any other. In fact it is the system God gave the first Christians (Acts 4:22) and Satan has been attacking it ever since. Ekklesia Living is definitely something God uses to make His bride ready and keep her ready until that glorious wedding day when she will be sealed with Christ for eternity. In other words it is probably the best and easiest way to ensure you make it into the Bridal Company. Of course you don’t have to live in an ekklesia to belong to the Bridal Company, but it sure makes it easier. When you consider the internal and external enemies dedicated to our destruction it should dawn on you that you need all the help you can get. Go ahead, live your own way; enjoy your freedom and independence; take good care of your flesh; revel in the pride of life; go to the church of your choice, and see how far you get in God. Ekklesia Living is the answer. —A PURE HEART From a purely human perspective what do most normal, sensitive people look for in a spouse? Some of the more notable attributes are: a pure heart; faithfulness; cooperation; oneness in mind and heart; sincerity and courage. As pointed out earlier, the intention of those belonging to a true Spirit ekklesia is to walk as closely with their Lord as possible. Therefore characteristics like the ones mentioned above are naturally what the ekklesia system seeks to develop and maintain in those who belong to it. Why? Because ultimately the control of the ekklesia rests in the hands of God. And when God is in control He will always refine and purify those who love and obey Him. He will help the bride make herself ready. Probably the first and most important thing the bridegroom looks for is a pure heart, for it is this purity of heart which ensures the love between husband and wife is true. So how can we find pure hearts when every human being on the planet is born into sin? It seems we've lost the race before we even start. The purity of heart God is looking for has nothing to do with the heart we're born with, for He knows we are tainted by sin. God is continually searching for hearts that will respond to the call of His Spirit. He longs to find those who will humbly admit their need of Him, be cleansed from sin, converted, and then express their love through a life of obedience to His commands. In essence God is looking for hearts that He can change; hearts that desire to be made pure towards Him. For everyone has the capability or capacity within them to be made pure towards God if they so choose. If not, then some would automatically end in Hell. Unfortunately, the truth is that due to circumstances and situations of life, together with inherited curses of sin, some have very little chance of getting to Heaven. Nevertheless, thanks to God’s mercy, theoretically they do have a chance. No one is predestined to Hell. Realize that when people do end in Hell, and many do, it is never God’s fault. The blame is fully ours, for we—humanity as a whole—have messed up God’s plan from the very beginning. In fact, the essence of the great commission given us by the Lord Jesus before He departed (Matthew 28:18) is to let the whole world know that they have a chance to be free from sin, escape Hell and gain the joy of eternal life with the Living God. This chance, or potential to serve God, is something very valuable. God sees this treasure, this golden opportunity hidden in our hearts no matter how little, and He desires to bring it to the surface. In other words God is looking for those who, when given the opportunity, will fall in love with Him. When He finds one of these hidden nuggets the work of the Master refiner begins. God’s Spirit first makes us aware of His desire to refine and define us into the image and likeness of His Son. Now it's up to us to cooperate. The refining process is not always comfortable, for it involves heat. In order to remove the impurities, the gold must be heated to the melting point. It's the fire of God burning in our lives that purifies us, bringing the gold of what we were meant to be to the surface. Yet we must allow the fire to burn. We must embrace God's chastening and correction, discipline and humility, for these are the tools He uses to do His refining work. As we recognize His loving hand in the process we will be able to endure no matter how painful it gets. If we truly love Him we can prove it by letting His refining fire do its work. The Bible tells us, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Hebrews 12:6-11). Sadly, most run from the fire of God, taking refuge in the man-made system called church where you can imagine yourself to be some super spiritual Christian without worrying about the fire. This crowd will never see the beautiful spiritual gold come forth in their lives but remain nothing more than worthless base metal, destined for the scrap yard called Hell. —LET THE FIRE BURN In the ekklesia we make it a point to let the fire of God burn. In fact we intentionally beg and beseech God to send the fire of His holiness into our midst and burn up anything not pleasing to Him. As more hearts yield to the purifying process it's like fuel added to the fire. Soon the blaze is bright and hot. When God is in control you can be sure that He will continually work to purify those hearts that are yielded to Him. When man is in control, comfort and ease will be the top priorities. Not much gold comes out of that plan. Yet more than just God’s control, we need His help. Truthfully, the depths of wickedness, the strength of deceitful, stubborn selfishness, are beyond our power to deal with. If we are ever going to live above sin we must humble ourselves under the realization that we desperately need God’s purifying, refining love to help us. Without God’s supernatural intervention in our lives we are hopelessly lost. This is where Ekklesia Living shines. How’s that? God appoints the leaders of every true ekklesia. As those leaders seek His face, yield themselves to God, and make His will known to the rest of the body, they create an atmosphere where the fire of God is welcomed. As they allow the fire to burn in their own lives they become living examples to which others can look. A covering is created under which the fire of God can freely work to purify others. The end result? A people striving to shine with the brightness of God's holiness; a people who allow God to burn up the poisonous roots of worldliness no matter how deep or dear they may be; a people who willingly throw their idols into the fire. These are the people who make up the Bridal Company. These are people precious in God's eyes. Along with letting God purify them, this company will also let God tell them what to do. Mutual, loving obedience between a husband and wife is important in any marriage. Of course the requests or commands made by either party must be given in a spirit of love. If the marriage is going to last they must not be motivated by selfishness, vain ambition, or pride. In our spiritual marriage with the Lord the Living God deserves our total, unwavering obedience, for we know He always has our best in mind. He proved His love for us on the cross. Now we can prove our love through obedience. It’s note enough to tell Him how true our love is. Talk is cheap. Words can be nothing more than empty prattle. God, like any husband, expects us to prove that we really love Him. Jesus gave us the key in John 14:15 when He told us, "If you love me, keep my commandments." We prove our love by willing obedience. And often this obedience involves sacrifice, suffering, and the willingness to endure hardness. Remember, the more the obedience costs, the more valuable it becomes in God's sight. When God looks at the ekklesia He sees a people who are willing to obey His commands no matter what it costs. They have found that when God is giving the commands they can never go wrong. Just as an obedient child delights the heart of his parents, God is delighted with us as we strive to obey Him. Remember, God has feelings just like we do, for we are created in His image. You can be sure God will bless those who prove their love through obedience. —SHARING HIS SUFFERING Another important aspect God looks for in His bride is the willingness and courage to fellowship His sufferings. In old-fashioned marriage ceremonies this idea is found in the phrase "...for better or for worse," implying that the couple intends to stick together no matter what life brings. Despite cultural corruption and the growing trend of easy divorce, when it comes to the bride of Christ and her Husband, “for better or for worse” is still part of the vows. Even a brief look at the history of true Christianity reveals that the "for worse" part often involves suffering, persecution, imprisonment, and in some cases even death. Why? God wants to know that His bride has the love and courage to face whatever comes and still remain faithful. Undoubtedly it takes courage to willingly face suffering or persecution when you could easily compromise and get out of it. God knows we are weak, and often we lack what it takes to stand up like we should. Yet in His mercy He can give us strength. What He really longs to see is a people willing to let Him give them that strength. When faithfulness involves suffering it takes it into another realm, a higher, more meaningful realm. This is where true love reaches its highest caliber, its purest form. This is the love Jesus has for us—suffering love. He’s looking for a bride who will do the same for Him. And it's not just for Him alone, but He will use that suffering love, that willingness to sacrifice and endure persecution, for the sake of winning others not yet in His Kingdom. It takes courage to willingly lay your life down. It takes courage to follow the Crucified. We may lack, but if our heart is willing God will supply. —WRAPPING IT UP In conclusion, consider how God looks at those darling church folks who claim His name yet offer Him only partial, halfhearted obedience? They want the benefits yet refuse to pay the price. What does He do with these characters? What does the farmer do with a tree that year after year bears no fruit? Eventually he cuts it down, throws it in the fire, and puts one that bears fruit in its place. With God's covering and help the ekklesia is determined to bear fruit—quality fruit that will please the Master. Of course bearing fruit in God's Kingdom is really a personal decision. If you want to you can. God will help you and no one can stop you. The beautiful thing about the ekklesia environment is that it provides the perfect atmosphere, the ideal growing conditions so to speak, ensuring that anyone desiring to grow and bear fruit in the Spirit will have the best possible chance to do it. This is the Bridal Company God is looking for: a people who share His sufferings and enjoy His blessings; a people who bear the spiritual fruit He desires—a people God calls His own. TABLE OF CONTENTS The Original Question: How Does God Want His People To Live? Part 12 A t the beginning of this series of essays we asked an all-important question: how does God want His people to live? Why is this such an important issue? Because until we find the right answer and put it into practice we will continually fall short of reaching the goal God desires us to obtain. Additionally, there are many special blessings and advantages available only to those who obey God. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that we can’t live in a way pleasing to God until we know what pleases Him. Fortunately, God has made plain what pleases Him through His written Word and the Spirit of prophecy. One major problem is that multitudes have never met God or even read His Word. God is working to solve this problem through His people who obey the great commission He gave in Matthew 28:19. The job seems endless. Let’s not despair, for the power and provision of our God is also endless. Sadly, many who do have access to His Word never partake of the many benefits God has for them. Why? They won’t allow God to tell them how to live. So what’s the answer? How does God want us to live? To make answering our question easier, first let’s eliminate the categories of how God doesn’t want us to live. —THE WRONG WAY To begin, the Bible makes it clear our lives are not meant to revolve around the endless desire to have our way, get what we want, and please ourselves. The lust of the flesh and covetous eyes are the sworn enemies of the suffering Savior who had no place to lay His head. Jesus told us those who lose their life for His sake will find true life (Matt. 10:39). Yet multitudes calling themselves God’s people live for nothing more than enjoying the “good life.” Simply put, self-idolatry is an abomination to God, and if pursued will inevitably lead to a Christless grave and the lake of fire. The deception of living for the sake of satisfying the flesh is a cruel and wicked trap. Why? Because the flesh can never be satisfied. Plus, once you set up patterns and habits of indulging the flesh, whether obviously sinful or seemingly innocent, you make permanent changes to your spirit man—changes for the worse. You’re strengthening your carnal nature (that part of you that wants to sin). You’re keeping alive the very thing Christians are supposed to put to death (Matthew 16:24). Neither does God want us to live bound by the curse of fleshly ambition. Endless striving for fame, fortune, or power will never lead you closer to God. Of course we should be eager to work for the Lord, yet the curse of unbridled human ambition only leads to unrest, strife and conflict. It comes down to the question of control. To clarify: there is a vast difference between fleshly ambition and spiritual growth or achievement. The first is controlled by the flesh and leads to death. The latter is controlled by God and leads to true joy, peace and everlasting life. Both take effort on our part, but what a drastic difference in the results. Another snare many Christians fall into is the trap of religious works or good causes. Countless people gain a measure of peace with themselves by working for what they think to be a good cause. Basically, they feel good about themselves because they are doing works that are considered compassionate, noble, even sacrificial. You run into trouble when these good works take the place of true Spirit-led obedience to God. Sure, the religious and secular crowds may applaud you—but what does God think? Good works are wonderful when directed by God. Yet believing that your good works somehow justify you in God’s eyes is the epitome of religious deception. No matter how good or spiritual these works make you feel, they are no guarantee that you are right with God. Tragically, many carry on in their self-satisfied delusion until it's too late and they find out they've wasted their life doing things God never called them to do. This trap is especially dangerous because it’s so easy to convince yourself that you are doing God's will when you are involved in a cause that appears to be good. We conveniently forget Samuel’s condemnation of Saul’s sacrifice when we want to trust in our own accomplishments instead of obeying God: “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice” (I Sam. 15:22). Some go to great lengths of sacrifice and toil instead of putting their idols on God’s altar to be burned. It doesn’t matter how much we give or how hard we work if we’re not giving God what He wants. Churches are filled with religious rebels like this who think they can buy God off with their measly offerings and He will close His eyes to their sins. They are trusting in their works instead of obeying God’s commands. Don’t expect to get to Heaven like that. Many are led away from God's will by the lure of recognition and praise of men. The religious community is especially notorious for heaping praise and glorification upon those who labor and sacrifice for good causes. Don’t be deceived. Good works do not necessarily equal God's will. True, God's will can involve humanitarian works, yet we must be very careful that we are being led by the Spirit and not religious flesh. So, how can you be sure you’re being led by the Spirit? Like all things involving God and His will the surest way to avoid deception is by diligently seeking His face, communicating with Him through prayer, and patiently waiting on His direction in a spirit of obedient humility. You can even try fasting, for that wonderfully clarifies the mind and spirit. Then, once God has made His will plain you must not easily let go of it. It’s up to you to cling to it and cherish it for the treasure it truly is. You must be ready to fight to stay in God’s will. Now that you’re on the right track you can be sure the enemy will do his best to stop you. His strategies range from cunningly gentle deception to brutally cruel and mercilessly wicked coercion. The forces of darkness hate nothing more than a people who are determined to carry out God's will for their lives. Seek God and obey—YOU WIN!! Do what you think is right—YOU LOSE!! —THE RIGHT WAY Now that we've looked at how God doesn't want us to live, let's go back to the all-important question at hand: HOW DOES GOD WANT HIS PEOPLE TO LIVE? After reading through this short series of articles I hope the answer has become obvious. God desires His people to live a life of genuine, Spirit-led, loving obedience towards Him. It’s that simple. The life of a true disciple can be summed up in four points: 1) Love God and love one another; 2) Strive to live a life of holiness; 3) Live in a spirit of separation from the world; 4) Lift Jesus up and exalt Him in the eyes of everyone regardless of race, creed or color. Let’s examine these points one by one. FIRST) As God’s people we are commanded to love Him and Him alone. We can have only one God in our life. The curse of serving false gods keeps multitudes bound in darkness. Once the Living God has revealed Himself to us we must never serve another no matter what the supposed benefits may be. As we experience the pure love of God in our lives we will naturally be motivated to love and serve one another (John 13:34). The Apostle Paul tells us that the greatest characteristic we can cultivate is love, for without it our life becomes nothing but an empty religious show–lots of noise and activity but no real substance (1 Corinthians 13:1-13). It goes back to the fact that our God is the very definition of love. Since He desires to transform us into His image, this will involve teaching us what true love–His love–is all about. This means our humanistic, sensual, imitations of love which the world cherishes so much have to go. Once the foundation of true love is laid, then comes instruction about how to let our lives be governed by the Spirit of godly love and compassion. True love lays down its life for others. True love works relentlessly to liberate others from the bondage of sin that destroys. God’s love is holy, and best of all it’s free. True disciples spend their lives sharing the life-changing love of God with as many as they can. SECOND) The question of holiness is very important, for the Bible plainly tells us that God has called those who love Him to a life of holiness, without which no man shall see God (1 Thessalonians 4:7; Hebrews 12:14). In essence, holiness implies a state of purity, both mentally and physically. We all know that when something is pure it is not adulterated or contaminated by anything else. Our problem is sin—that evil disease which continually seeks to contaminate and defile our life in God. It naturally follows that a life of holiness means striving to be as free from sin as possible. Let us ever be thankful to our merciful God that sincere repentance will bring us to a place where we can be cleansed of all sin (1 John 1:9). That’s the easy part. Next we face the challenge of remaining in that place of purity—and that’s one challenge we better take seriously. Eternity in Hell is terrifying beyond imagination, yet that is the end of a life lived in sin. Nowhere is it written that we have to sin. Even though we stumble and fall, we can, we must, get up and try again. Regardless of popular opinion and the twisted doctrines of defeated Christians, a life of holiness is possible. God knows we are weak and prone to sin. Mercifully, His forgiveness is free and full. There is hope. By the power of His Spirit He strengthens and encourages us to stand our ground against sin. With all that help on our side we have no excuse. All He asks is that we give Him our heart and sincerely try our best. THIRD) God’s Word plainly commands us to LOVE NOT THE WORLD, neither the things that are of the world (1 John 2:15). You can't love God and the world at the same time. If you do, God looks at you like an unfaithful wife who commits adultery, mocking His pure, sacrificial love that suffered for us. We truly thank God we’ve been rescued from the sin-filled world of darkness, yet now we face a predicament. Until God calls us to be with Him in Heaven, we are stuck having to deal with the very world we’ve been rescued from. This can be quite a challenge. The answer? It comes down to how we look at the world and our relationship to it. We must never forget we are in the world as a witness. It’s essential that in our minds and hearts we maintain a strict spirit of separation. In other words, we are to be in the world but not of it. In this way we are able to reach out to those still trapped in the world of sin, yet at the same time stay true to the fact that we now belong to the King and the Kingdom of Heaven. Maybe you’re asking why separation is so important? It’s a matter of survival. Keep in mind that we are soldiers of the cross and we are involved in the oldest war in history. Then take into consideration that the unsaved world in which we live is controlled by our enemy and the poison of worldliness it continually spews at us is deadly, the need for separation becomes obvious. No soldier in their right mind goes looking for entertainment and fellowship in enemy-controlled territory. If they do they won’t be around long. Our heart aches for lost humanity, so much so that we are ready to fight, waging war in the Spirit, for their salvation. Yet God’s wisdom, along with experience, have taught us that unless we separate ourselves from the world we will be powerless to rescue anyone. Our strength lies in our singleness of heart and mind. Consequently, we denounce this sinful world for the enemy it is. We despise the fact that it holds so many in captivity even as it once held us. This spirit of enmity between us and the world of sin inevitably leads us to separate ourselves physically. With this in mind we seek God for an environment where we can live together in holiness under the command and protection of His Spirit. The actual distance we live from the unsaved is not the issue (although distancing ourselves from cities full of sin does have great advantages). Yet no matter where we live we stake out a perimeter and post warnings in the Spirit that the world of sin must STAY OUT! This barrier must be militantly guarded through prayer and discernment, for the enemy is relentless in his efforts to infiltrate and sabotage the work of God. This is spiritual warfare, and our lives in God (especially our young people) depend upon how aggressively we maintain a clean, unmistakable distinction between us and the world of sin. This is how ekklesias are born. FOURTH) This brings us to the final aspect of our lives in God. As true disciples we have been commissioned, in essence commanded, to reach out to a lost world drowning in their sin (Matthew 28:19). Our lifelong goal becomes leading others into the arms of a loving Savior who offers the gift of eternal life free and full to any and all who sincerely come to Him (John 3:16). Naturally, this involves warning others to repent and put an end to their sinful behavior or else face an eternity in Hell, for it is unrepentant sin that damns us. The Holy Spirit leads us to carry out our commission in a manner that reflects godly compassion and love. Yet real life has taught us that no matter how plainly we explain that our warnings against sin spring from the love of God, inevitably some take offense. We must never let that deter us. When people are asleep in a burning house it’s not the time to react with casual indifference or worry if they get upset because you wake them. Their lives are at stake! Someone must quickly rush in yelling, “Fire! Fire! Wake up! Run for your life!” Sin is the deadliest fire on earth. It has destroyed countless “spiritual houses,” landing the inhabitants in the lake of fire for eternity. It’s up to us to warn people, hoping they will be awakened to the terrible danger they are in. In addition, the Bible makes it plain that if we neglect this duty, leaving people to perish in their sins when we could have warned them, the accountability of their blood will be required at our hands. A sobering thought indeed. —THE PROBLEM Figuring out how God wants us to live is the easy part. God has guaranteed us that His Holy Spirit will be there to lead and guide all who turn their hearts towards Him and seek His face. Additionally, His printed Word has been translated into every major language and most minor ones as well. Unfortunately there are still many who, for various reasons, have no access to the Bible. Nevertheless, everyone has access to the Holy Spirit, and there isn’t a language He doesn’t speak. Between these two powerful resources, God is able to reach out to any and all who are hungry for the truth. And you can rest assured that in His all-knowing, ever-present power, God hears the cry of every hungry heart wherever they may be. Admittedly, many are so bound by sin and the forces of darkness that the chances they will see the light of God are almost non-existent. God understands this too, and that is why He has commissioned His people to evangelize the entire earth. Thank God He has a plan. Back to those of us who have been given the light. Now that we’ve found out how God wants us to live, achieving this monumental task is another matter. The problem we are faced with is this: how can sinful, fallen man gain entrance to the Bridal Company and stay there? Of course through sincere repentance we can be forgiven, and there is no law that says we must sin. Yet reality teaches us that the nature of the beast—our beast—inevitably leans towards sin. We don’t have to sin but a part of us wants to. Frightening. Don't look to the world for help, for the world is the enemy's camp. There’s an army of overeducated headshrinkers and psycho-quacks whose endlessly conflicting counsel will multiply your confusion while parting you from your money at the same time. It's nearly impossible to stay pure and unspotted while living among fallen humanity in a sin-cursed earth. Unfortunately, like it or not, we're stuck here. Be assured God sees our predicament. He knows what we're up against both internally and externally. Then how, when the odds are overwhelmingly stacked against us, does God expect us to live up to His standard? We're talking about the Bridal Company standard, not the religious freak show called church. This is an important question, a question beyond man’s ability to answer, a question which only God can answer. —THE ANSWER You may have already guessed: the answer to this dilemma is EKKLESIA LIVING! This wonderfully wise system God has instituted enables us to live in the world yet still make the Bridal Company. The details of how it works could fill volumes. To summarize and distill it into its purest form, you could say the foundation, the guiding principle, upon which Ekklesia Living rests is this: God, through constant spiritual interaction and intervention, is given total control over every aspect of our lives. With God in control we can make it. This is true discipleship, for as the Master is, so shall the servant be. If God's control is anything less than 100% the system is unable to work to its full potential. Yet who can give God 100%? Jesus did. “But we're not Jesus!” you cry. God knows that too, and in His mercy and compassion He works with us at whatever level we are able. He knows it’s a difficult climb up, so He comes down and meets us on the path, takes our hand and strengthens us. As you take hold of His hand you feel the nail print, the scar of a battle fought long ago and won on our behalf. By that scar we know we are in the hands of true Love. In the power of that Love we find the strength to keep climbing no matter what it takes. God longs for His children to reach the top victoriously, and being the loving Father He is, He's there to help us every step of the way. Our only obligation is to do the best we can and keep on climbing. Are we saying God demands perfection with never any mistakes? We know better than that. All God asks is that when we do make mistakes (unfortunately humans never seem to stop making mistakes) that we REPENT and, with God's help and wisdom, LEARN FROM THEM so we don’t repeat them. Does this way of life mean we can't do what we like? Perhaps. It depends on what you like. Ultimately it means we make doing God's will what we like. Problem solved. Undoubtedly Ekklesia Living is a challenge, yet once you commit yourself to the contest, once your mind is made up, the challenge which seemed almost impossible becomes a new way of life that fills you with joyous anticipation and excitement. Why? Because God is the one issuing the challenge and He promises us His help. Ever since that glorious day when Jesus rose from the dead, God has been beckoning to His Bride, calling forth that special company to come stand by His side. Now you have the privilege to be among that number. Answering the call of serious discipleship is no light thing. When God sees our willingness to lay down our lives in loving obedience He promises to provide for and protect His beloved. In fact, He’ll move Heaven and earth to make sure nothing stops the wedding. All this adds up to something money can’t buy: a life of miracle-filled spiritual adventure which outshines any other religious system on earth; a life of steady spiritual growth leading to levels of maturity the churchgoing crowd knows nothing about; a life filled with the love of God—the purest love you will ever find. Be part of that glorious Bridal Company. Join a true Spirit-led ekklesia today. Contact us and find what you've been missing. EKKLESIA LIVING—when it comes to following the Living God there's nothing else like it. Lt. Col. Peter Green TABLE OF CONTENTS