BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS
By W. G. Guy
What is a church? What is its purpose, and what does it do? Is church as we know it today fulfilling what Jesus said He intended it to do? Are there true churches and false churches; and how do you recognize or discern which is which? The answers to these questions are covered in my latest book THE OTHER CHURCH.
However, I would like to delve into this topic from another perspective in this article. The word church is translated from the Greek word ekklesia which means “called out and assembled together”. This means that a church consists of a unique gathering of two or more people for the purpose of seeking spiritual fellowship with God in worship; and to gain knowledge of Him and His Word. Jesus said that He joins with them by His Spirit in such a gathering.
Matthew 18:20 – For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Notice how many people it takes to have church: two or more gathered together! Also notice that there is no requirement for a building, a program, stained glass and candles, a pulpit, pews, a piano or organ, or any of the things that we typically associate with a church today. In fact, the early church met in homes; that is, until Emperor Constantine and his son instituted Christianity as the state religious system and built church buildings for such assemblies.
Romans 16:5 – Likewise greet the church that is in their house.
1 Corinthians 16:19 – The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
A typical church service back then was nothing like we experience now in our churches. In the early church opportunities to speak was given to anyone who had a message: it was not reserved for only the pastor or priest. The apostle Paul gave us an example of how a church service operated back then.
1 Corinthians 14:26-33 – How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy (speak by inspiration of the Holy Spirit) one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. (How many churches do you see this in today?)
Note also the use of “tongues and interpretation” which is excluded from most churches today. Why, because the pastor wants to control what goes on in the church service. Therefore the Holy Spirit is “quenched”.
1 Thessalonians 5:19 – Quench not the Spirit.
A church consists of people, and that is all it takes to have a church. These people, when assembled together, are the spiritual representation of the kingdom of God. They operate under the Lordship of Jesus, and are directed by the Holy Spirit. The true church is what we read about in the Book of Acts as it began on the Day of Pentecost. That form of church should continue right up to the return of Jesus Christ. Thus all that was happening in the early church should be happening today, as a continuation of the Book of Acts, and the work of Christ in us.
The manifestation (or works) of the Holy Spirit are still valid as the spiritual kingdom (domain) of God still manifests, showing that Jesus Christ is the crucified and risen Son of God. This is proven by the power of the Holy Spirit operating in His believers.
Mark 16:20 – And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.
Acts 1:8 – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
This is also seen and evidenced by the power of the Holy Spirit:
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 – Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
All of these gifts are to be in full operation until Jesus returns, regardless of what some church doctrines and preachers say.
1 Corinthians 1:7 – so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
This is further evidenced by the Fruit of the Spirit in the lives of those who gather in His name.
Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
This fruit is the character and nature of God that is restored in true born-again, Christ filled believers.
John 15:1-5 – I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
(Note: this fruit is not man’s works, it is the life of Christ flowing through the life of the believer, because man cannot produce this on his own.)
Unfortunately, not much of the church today is walking in what began at Pentecost. Most of the church as it exists today does not resemble the church in the Book of Acts. Why? God has not changed; Jesus has not changed; the Word of God and His promises have not changed; the Holy Spirit has not changed! So what has changed?
It is the church that has changed! The church changed due to rejection of the truth of God’s promise and His Word. This is due to unbelief and accepting of false doctrines of deceivers; the teaching of men and demons. Jesus warned about this as it would be evident in the last days.
Matthew 24:4-5 – And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Matthew 24:24 – For there shall arise false Christs (anointed ones), and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
For over fifty years, (since 1973), the Lord has led me to teach that the church will go “full circle”. It will return to the way it was when it began at Pentecost. It will then be prepared for His return because Christ will be seen in His church. (Christ is not seen in the church that man builds.)
1 John 3:1-3 – Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Jesus’ true believers will look and act like Him; with His love, His character and His nature fully showing, just as it was in the early church.
Acts 11:25-26 – Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Why were they called and identified as “Christians”? This is because the Spirit of Christ was seen in them. They acted, they sounded, and they behaved in the manner as Christ did!
Why is this representation of Christ no longer seen in churches today? This is mostly due to the rejection of all five of the LORD’s ordained ministries that Jesus instituted AFTER He ascended back to heaven and was seated at the right hand of the Father. Thus those ministries charged with maturing the believers to be like Christ are not in service to the church. Pastors alone can’t do it!
Ephesians 4:10-13 – He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
What will it take to get the church back to the way it was in the beginning? First it will require the acceptance and work of all five gift ministries that are given for the perfecting of Christ in believers. Then it will take an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, just as it occurred at Pentecost. That outpouring has not ended just because people stopped believing it, and preachers have come against it. It still continues today, but on a small scale. However, there is a great outpouring yet to come as prophesied in the Bible. This will produce the church as it was when it first began.
James 5:7-8 – Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts (in Him and in His Word): for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
However, as in the early church, this outpouring will turn the world upside down and bring souls into the kingdom of God, as well as bringing them to spiritual maturity into the fullness of Christ. This will also produce another problem for the true church: PERSECUTION! The IRS, (Institutionalized Religious System – which is much of the church today), will not like this move of God, so they will stand in opposition. Thus, just like it was the religious leaders of Jesus day that came against the church, much of the persecution will come from the IRS, the other church, which will hold to the doctrines of men and demons. This will be promoted by the false Christs, false prophets and preachers that Jesus warned us about, (as listed in Matthew 24 above).
Recently I heard a message from a well-known author and Bible teacher, Jonathan Cahn. He taught this same message that the church is going to return to what it was like in the beginning. This confirmed what I have been teaching for all these years:
Matthew 18:16 – …..that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
The true church of the LORD Jesus Christ will go back to the way it was at the beginning! Will you be a part of this revived church, or will you resist it as many in the other church will do in order to maintain the status quo?
