{"id":9,"date":"2008-06-03T06:08:00","date_gmt":"2008-06-03T13:08:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2019-05-13T12:37:51","modified_gmt":"2019-05-13T19:37:51","slug":"got-potential-2008-06-03-130800","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/gods-purpose\/got-potential-2008-06-03-130800","title":{"rendered":"Is ‘Church’ a Dirty Word? Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

Purpose<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vol. 2 Issue 22 <\/strong><\/p>\n

June 3, 2008<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Weekly Newsletter of True Potential Publishing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Is \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a Dirty Word? Part III
\n<\/strong>
\nI may have opened a can of worms by bringing up the definition of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d At this point in Christian history we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been so ingrained with our concept of what \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is, it can be a real shock to our systems to find out what the Bible says it is.<\/p>\n

I got a phone call from my buddy Roger this morning. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a pastor; he reads the Purpose Letter each week and either encourages me or sets me straight. Sometimes both. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been reading the last few weeks and wanted to give me a few tips about treading on thin ice.<\/p>\n

After we discussed \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for a few minutes \u00e2\u20ac\u201c about what it was and wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t and was supposed to be \u00e2\u20ac\u201c I asked him, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Roger, is God\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work done on earth through the church or in spite of it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n<\/em>
\nHe answered, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153God\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work is done through His church and in spite of ours.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em> Touch\u00c3\u00a9.<\/p>\n

*****<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last week we examined Webster\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/span><\/em> definition #1 of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/span><\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d being \u00e2\u20ac\u0153a building for public and especially Christian worship.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em> We also figured out that when Jesus first brought up the idea He didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t use the word \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and He wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t talking about a building \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 at least not one made from bricks and mortar.<\/p>\n

Which brings us to Webster\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/span><\/em> definition #2: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the clergy or officialdom of a religious body<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d These are the folks who run things. Their offices are in Webster\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/span><\/em> #1 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d- the building. They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s known as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the clergy<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d We (us in the pews) are what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s known as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the laity.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em> I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m one of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the laity<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Roger is one of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the clergy<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s how he knows so much about thin ice.<\/p>\n

Just so you know, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153clergy<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d means, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ordained Christian ministers collectively.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Laity<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d means \u00e2\u20ac\u0153people who are not priests or clerics collectively<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s pretty simple. According to Webster\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/span><\/em> #2 the clergy<\/em> is the church<\/em>.<\/p>\n

What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the laity<\/em>? Chopped liver?<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not being fair. Webster\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/span><\/em> definition #3: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is \u00e2\u20ac\u0153a body or organization of religious believers.<\/span><\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d That includes the laity doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t it? Darned right it does. Thank Webster\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/em><\/span> we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re still included in the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d But to be completely fair, Webster\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/span><\/em> definition #5: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d – \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the clerical profession\u00e2\u20ac\u009d does exclusively mean the clergy. Clergy two – Laity one … but at least we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re mentioned, even if it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153professional church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d versus \u00e2\u20ac\u0153amateur church<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d better stop here and toss out a disclaimer.<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not throwing down on pastors, priests, bishops, deacons, prophets, apostles, reverends, or anyone else with a title who makes his (or her) living off an organization called \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the church<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d If it wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t for these folks there wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be any organization in the organization and all of us laity<\/em> would be left to our own devices on Sunday morning. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d be a mess.<\/p>\n

My objective in all of this is to point out what Webster\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/span><\/em> says \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is (and definition-wise Webster\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/span><\/em> speaks for all of us, clergy and laity alike. I mean, we bought the dictionary, didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t we?) as opposed to what the Word says \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is.<\/p>\n

So let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s see if Webster\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/em><\/span> holds water \u00e2\u20ac\u201c biblically speaking.<\/p>\n

The words \u00e2\u20ac\u0153clergy<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153laity<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t appear in the Bible. To be fair, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153priest<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153priests<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d appear in the Bible lots and lots. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Layman<\/em>,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153lay person<\/em>,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153lay people<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d appear too \u00e2\u20ac\u201c always described as opposed to the priests. So there is a biblical precedent for the separation of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153priests<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153lay people<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 in the Old Testament.<\/p>\n

The New Testament mentions \u00e2\u20ac\u0153priest<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153priests<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a lot too. And it seems to make a distinction, but not between priests and lay people<\/em> (no mention of laity<\/em> in the NT); the distinction is between \u00e2\u20ac\u0153priests<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153priest<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d First there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153priests<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d; these were the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153clergy<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153officialdom<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of the Jewish religious world in Jesus\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 time. They were also the guys always at odds with Jesus.<\/p>\n

Probably a little jealousy and competition there.<\/p>\n

These priests<\/em> were the mediators between God and the Jewish community. They were in charge and they liked it that way. Then along comes this scruffy prophet from Nazareth (like anything good could ever come out of Nazareth) with a ragtag gaggle of disciples. Jesus dared to challenge these priests publicly, calling them hypocrites. He broke the Sabbath laws and when they called him on it, he told them that he was the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Lord of the Sabbath<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Blasphemy! He was constantly saying seditious things against these priests, the Temple and their religious system in general. There was no love lost between these priests and Jesus.<\/p>\n

Jesus wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t laity<\/em>, but he wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t one of the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153priests<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d either. He was a priest<\/em>; more accurately, the Priest<\/em><\/span>. A \u00e2\u20ac\u0153priest in the order of Melchizadek.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em> What does that mean? According to the writer of Hebrews it meant that this Priest was the last Priest, the only Priest men will ever need again.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need – one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em> (Hebrews 7:23 -28)<\/p>\n

So much for the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153clergy or officialdom<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of Jesus\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 day.<\/p>\n

*****<\/strong><\/p>\n

So if the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t a building and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153clergy<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d what is it? Before you fire your pastor or convert your church building into condo\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s dig a little deeper.<\/p>\n

The first record of any sort of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153officialdom<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in the New Testament Church (only it wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d; it was \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ekklesia<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d – \u00e2\u20ac\u0153assembly of called out ones<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d) appears in Act\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 6 when the Greek \u00e2\u20ac\u0153called out ones<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d launched a complaint against the Hebrew \u00e2\u20ac\u0153called out ones<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for skipping over the Greek widows at food distribution time. The disciples (they were in charge by default) didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to spend their days policing the food line, so they asked the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ekklesia<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to choose seven spiritually and managerially qualified men to wait tables.<\/p>\n

The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of the New Testament didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t include a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153priest<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d class. Individual members of the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ekklesia<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d were given gifts by the Holy Spirit in order that through each member\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s gifts the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ekklesia<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d could function as a whole. Paul used the analogy of a body. Which is really what the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ekklesia<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is – a body.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body \u00e2\u20ac\u201c whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em> (I Corinthians 12: 12 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 14a)<\/p>\n

If we back up just a little, Paul tells us why he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going over all of this with the body<\/em> at Corinth. Any time you get a bunch of humans together (Christians fall into this class too) they have a tendency to muck things up. Individual interests start to bubble to the surface and my individual interests are pretty much always guaranteed to be different from your individual interests. The same thing was happening at the church\/ekklesia\/body<\/em> in Corinth.<\/p>\n

Paul, who was the guy who brought the gospel to the people of Corinth, was also the guy responsible for straightening them out when they drifted off the path. Which was what was happening in Corinth, which was why Paul had to write them a couple of letters. It seems that the church\/ekklesia\/body<\/em> in Corinth was made up of individuals. And these individuals were adept at expressing their individualism by fulfilling their individual interests. Everybody did his own thing and those who had the power to put their individual interests above another\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s did.<\/p>\n

Paul\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s job was to wrangle all these bodies into one Body.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s approval. When you come together, it is not the Lord\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em> (I Corinthians 11:17-22)<\/p>\n

Paul has to explain to them that this new group, what Jesus called His \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ekklesia<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t a bunch of individuals but a single body. And in this body the individuals may have unique gifts or tasks, but the idea of one individual in this new body having a higher ranking than another because of his gift or task was about as ridiculous as a person\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ear having a higher ranking than his foot.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em> (I Corinthians 12:4-6)<\/p>\n

Then Paul names some of gifts or areas of responsibility that are necessary to the function of this new body<\/em> (and this is where history takes over). These gifts, having names, over time, became titles. Titles, having some perceived status became offices. Offices became ranks and ranks became a hierarchy. And, Voila! A new priest class was born!<\/p>\n

But that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not the way it was meant to be. Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s listen to Paul as he explained it the first time.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em> (I Corinthians 12:27-31)<\/p>\n

Some scholars say that the last sentence can also be translated, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But you are eagerly desiring the greater gifts<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Which sounds like something the folks in Corinth might have done. Which may be why Paul went on to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153show [them] the most excellent way<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d; telling them just how important these church offices were, in light of eternity.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (I Corinthians 13:8-10, 13)<\/p>\n

*****<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve beaten this horse enough. How \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcbout I wrap up this letter by making my point?<\/p>\n

The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t a building. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not an \u00e2\u20ac\u0153officialdom of clergy<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not divided into classes \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u0153priests<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153laity<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d According to Scripture, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not even a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d; it an \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ekklesia<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

There are some of the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153called out ones<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d who have been given gifts and assignments<\/em> for special tasks within the body<\/em> of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153called out ones<\/em>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Some of these tasks involve being in-charge<\/em> of certain body<\/em> functions. Some of us (us: the body<\/em>, not us: me<\/em>) make their living at it. But, making a living from your task in the body<\/em> doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t give you any more status in the body<\/em> than making your living as a plumber. In this body<\/em>, there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no such thing as a professional, and there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no such thing as an amateur. There sure aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t any spectators. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re all full members and we all have a job \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 even if it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s just being a toe.<\/p>\n

Next week we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll talk about what \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 sorry, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ekklesia<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 or at least what it was meant to be. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll find out why I thought it was important enough to spend all this time telling you what \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 for some of you, maybe even eternally important.<\/p>\n

In Him,<\/p>\n

Steve Spillman<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Purpose Vol. 2 Issue 22 June 3, 2008 The Weekly Newsletter of True Potential Publishing Is \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Church\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a Dirty Word? Part III I may have opened a can of worms by bringing up the definition of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d At this point in Christian history we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been so ingrained with our concept of what \u00e2\u20ac\u0153church\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is, it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[634,438,585,134,586,6,131,16,276,7],"tags":[664,663,882,650,636,665,270,864,514,662,605,666,45],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":607,"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9\/revisions\/607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}