Bringing The "Church View" Into Focus by Bill Pevlor
Your views and opinions will affect how you
act. We all have them, yet our "views" are not something we are born with. They
are developed over the course of life. Our views are often subject to change. Don’t
look now, but, many of your current views are in the process of change. However, whatever
our current view, though it may be entirely different next year, we are positive it is
right. (If we thought our view was wrong, we’d change it.)
On any one topic there can be a zillion
different views. Yet all of us claim to hold the right view. So, how do we sort through
the myriad of divergent views to form the right view? There's only one sure way. We must
base our views on Biblical foundations. Let's face it, the view that ultimately
matters…the view that is always right, regardless of what we think…is God's
view.
God has given His views on everything necessary
for life in His Word, the Holy Bible. In fact, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says "All
Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good
work." It is a shame that people don't spend more time in God's Word to get more
of His view on the serious issues of life. (But, that's a topic for another
article.)
I would guess the majority of folks have
given a good deal of thought to their views on abortion, balancing the budget, gay
lifestyles, prayer in school, racism, and many other hot issues of the day. But, have you
ever given much thought to your church view? I'm not referring to the view you hold
concerning the church you attend. I'm talking about your views concerning the
church. You know, the Body of Christ comprised of all true believers in the Lord, Jesus
Christ. Your church view is simply your perception of the role of the church.
Why bring it up? Does it really matter? Well,
we began with the premise—our views affect our actions. Different theological camps
view the role and responsibility of the church differently. Your eschatology (your view on the end-times) will play a part in your church view. Your
perceptions of God's sovereignty in relation to human "free will" weigh
heavily in your church view. Your level of understanding concerning your identification
with Christ and the position of authority you hold as a believer will impact your church
view. The combined importance of these (and other) perceptions on your church view, of course, lies in the fact that your church
view, or perspective, will affect your sense of urgency and the direction of your efforts.
Your commitment and motivation in the Kingdom of God are, for the most part, inspired by
church view.
Time and space limitations would not allow us
to list the various church views prevalent today. There would be little value in most of
them anyway. Instead, we will focus on the Church View clearly found in the Bible. Again,
because of time and space limitations, we will not be able to cover every minute aspect.
We will, however, strive to establish a solid foundation that can be built upon through
further study of the scriptures.
Any valid church view must be birthed in the
understanding that the Church is the Body of Christ. The apostle Paul spoke of this in his
letter to the Ephesians. He wrote "And God placed all things under his feet and
appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness
of him who fills everything in every way." (Ephesians
1:22–23) In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote "Now you
are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." (1
Corinthians 12:27)
If we had an anatomical chart to
represent the Church, it would have an arrow pointing to the head labeled "Christ"
and an arrow pointing to the areas below the head labeled "the Body of
Christ." God gives us a very useful and clear picture of our role as the Church
by using the term Body of Christ. As it often does, the Bible uses an analogy of the
physical world to give us revelation of the spiritual world. We are the many-membered
spiritual extension of Christ. "Just as each of us has one body with many members,
and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one
body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the
grace given us." (Romans 12:4–6)
We are Christ’s physical
representation on the earth. We are to carry out the orders here on earth that come from
the head in heaven. When we are obedient to the Lord's calling, wonderful, miraculous
things happen. When we ignore the directives of Jesus, it’s a disaster.
If you woke up one morning and found one of
your arms paralyzed, you would immediately get yourself to a doctor. Something would be
drastically wrong. Likewise, when, as the Body of Christ, we are unresponsive or move
contrary to the orders from our head, something is drastically wrong.
Just prior to His death and resurrection Jesus
made one provision (and only one) for continuing the work He
started; that is, establishing the Kingdom of God on earth. He commissioned the Church.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is spread exclusively by the Church. No other creature,
including angels, have ever been commissioned by God to preach salvation. If the Church
doesn't do it, it won't get done. As a member of the Church, have you been responsive to
the directives of your head...or have you been a dangling appendage content to let the
other parts of the Body carry your load?
Another foundational truth of the biblical
church view is, what I call, our dominion mandate. In Genesis 1:28 God reveals to mankind
their purpose and function on the earth He created. "God blessed them and said to
them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over
the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on
the ground.’"
Though the fall was a temporary setback,
God’s unchanging intent is for men, who are submitted to Him, to rule over all
creation. Satan, through deception and man’s willing disobedience, stole man’s
position of delegated rulership of the earth. God never intended Satan, or those who are
submitted to him, to have a position of rulership. We know that because Christ came to
destroy the works of Satan (Hebrews 2:14)…to rip the keys of
dominion out of Satan’s claws and give them back to the Church.
Long before Jesus was born in Bethlehem the
prophet Daniel had a vision of complete dominion being restored to the Church. "Then
the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed
over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting
kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him." (Daniel 7:27)
And Jesus, himself, issued a proclamation of this great restoration in Luke 10:19: "I
have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power
of the enemy; nothing will harm you."
From the time of the fall until Jesus began
His ministry on earth, the Devil was virtually unhindered in his efforts to torment and
oppress the people of God. Satan had authority—he held the keys of dominion. But then
Jesus defeated Satan and was given all authority (Luke 10:22, Matthew
28:18, Ephesians 1:22). And now, as Christ’s Body, as His physical
representation on the earth, that authority has been extended to us.
When Jesus was on the earth in physical form He
exercised the authority given Him by casting out demons, healing the sick, and restoring
people back to the Father. Jesus now expects us to live up to the position He has given us
(His Body - His physical presence on the earth) and take dominion
over evil.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Whatever His body was doing on the earth before His resurrection, it should be doing
today. Remember, in His last words recorded in the gospel of Mark, Jesus said: "And
these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they
will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink
deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people,
and they will get well." (Mark 16:17-18) The believers who
accept, by faith, God’s mandated dominion are who Jesus was talking about.
And that brings us to another biblical church
view foundational truth…The Church of Jesus Christ is to be the expression of
Christ’s victory in every arena. 1 Corinthians 15:25 tells us that Christ "must
reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet." Jesus, from His position
on the throne, is moving victoriously through His church to complete His redemptive
purpose on the earth.
As a Church, are we expressing "Victory
Through Jesus"? Are you victorious over sin, sickness and the Devil in your
personal life? Is your family a credible expression of Christ’s victory in your
neighborhood? Is your local church (specifically, the one you attend)
victoriously expanding God’s Kingdom in your community?
All of us can quote victorious scriptures—I
can do everything through Christ who gives me strength. (Philippians
4:13) For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of
love and of self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7) For everyone
born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our
faith. (1 John 5:4) I tell you the truth, anyone who has
faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these,
because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12) etc. etc. But
when you examine your life, are you expressing the victory?
When you talk are you talking about how hard
and unfair life is? That’s not the victory. Are you gossiping about your friends,
cutting down your spouse, and criticizing your enemies? That’s not the victory.
Are you exercising victory over sin? If someone
secretly video taped everything you said and did for a week would you be comfortable
allowing your pastor to watch it? By the way, someone who thinks they are winning the war
with sin and yet finds it entertaining to watch others sin (such as on
television, in the movies, in magazines, etc.) is only deceiving himself.
Are you exercising victory over demonic forces
as you encounter them? Are you casting out demons when necessary? They are real, you know.
Jesus encountered many more demons than He did angels. And so did the disciples that
followed Him. Are you praying for the sick and seeing them healed? Jesus said these things
were part of the believer’s life. If your church view excludes such things go back to
the Word of God and get His view.
While we’re on the topic of Victory
according to Mark 16:17–18…do you speak in tongues? It is a part of the
victorious, power-filled package Jesus promised as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus
said you would do it if you believed (v.17). In 1 Corinthians 14 the
apostle Paul thanked God that he spoke in tongues (v.18), wished
everyone did (v.5) and said not to forbid people from speaking in
tongues (v.39). Peter said it was the gift God promised for all whom
the Lord would call. (Acts 2:38–39) Speaking in tongues is only
one manifestation of the Gifts of the Spirit spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12, but it’s
a sure bet that if you are not speaking in tongues you are not manifesting any of the
other gifts either.
Is your local church victorious in its
commission to expand the Kingdom of God in your community? Are souls being saved? Are
lives being changed? Are bondages and addictions being broken? In a nutshell, is the
spiritual health of your community being improved through the efforts of your church?
It seems many churches don’t have windows.
By that I mean they are oblivious to those outside the church. They minister to the people
who come to church, but have no vision for those beyond their walls. If your church
isn’t actively engaged in battle for territory beyond the parking lot, your victory
is minimal, at best. What your church does, whether inside or outside its sanctuary is a
crystal clear reflection of its Church View.
We are to line up our church view with Jesus'
view of His Church. That is, to be His Body; His instrument of bringing restoration to the
individual, the family, and by whatever degree He allows, our culture and society. We need
to take our Christ-given position of rule and authority in our personal lives and
zealously seek to extend it to every part of this world.
Our views do affect the way we act. Possessing
the proper church view will open our spirit to greater faith and vision. It will bring
Holy Spirit inspiration and motivation to our lives. It will create in us a greater sense
of urgency and clarify the direction of our lives. O
© 1998 Victorious Faith Ministries
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