The Kingdom of Christ

[Dafydd]

The rule of Christ began in the First Century and will, I believe, become increasingly apparent until the kingdoms of the world become the Kingdom of the Lord. Christ is present today in his corporate body and the more each member of this corporate body - the church - surrenders to the Spirit of Christ within, the more the church will act as the Body of Christ and not simply as a group of human believers. In recent years, more parts of the church have switched from the human method of adversarial decision making (voting on proposals) to the Holy Spirit guided consensus method pioneered by the Quakers. This is surely a move of the Holy Spirit, as decisions reached by this method (which is really a surrender to the rule of Christ within) are necessarily God's will. I believe that as this approach becomes increasingly the normal for churches & other Christian organisations and as the world becomes increasingly Christian (which I believe it will as the centuries roll on), the method will also become normal for business and governmental organisations as well. Maybe, in the far future, competing businesses and warring countries will be replaced by Holy Spirit guided communities. Maybe society will eventually become a loose confederation of something like Christian kibbutz, all governed by the Spirit-led discernment of the will of God (=the rule of Christ).

Please read the free ebook at:  www.christianityoasis.com/PurityPublications/5145/HolySpiritGuidedConsensus.htm.

Also an article at: westfriend.org/Media/quaker-style-method-governance

Blessings!

[chesed]

I believe Acts 8 &15 sets a standard for Church governance.

Also there will be a falling away (sadly) as that Day approaches.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
(1Ti 4:1)

 

[TrueFollowerOfChrist]

47 minutes ago, chesed said:

I believe Acts 8 &15 sets a standard for Church governance.

Also there will be a falling away (sadly) as that Day approaches.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
(1Ti 4:1)

 

There was an article just today about the number of people who profess belief in God has dropped. It's my personal belief that for many,  Christianity is a hobby and many in the Church don't really know God. On top of that,  our government keeps trying to silence Christians while proudly parading sin in public.  The great apostasy seems VERY near. I imagine that when the rapture occurs,  not many people will really notice. Even Jesus said in Luke,  when the son of man returns,  will he really find faith on the earth?

[chesed]

On 10/19/2022 at 9:45 PM, TrueFollowerOfChrist said:

There was an article just today about the number of people who profess belief in God has dropped. It's my personal belief that for many,  Christianity is a hobby and many in the Church don't really know God. On top of that,  our government keeps trying to silence Christians while proudly parading sin in public.  The great apostasy seems VERY near. I imagine that when the rapture occurs,  not many people will really notice. Even Jesus said in Luke,  when the son of man returns,  will he really find faith on the earth?

I sort of believe the number of people possessing Christ (life) remains somewhat constant whereas the professing faction of Christendom is dropping. No worry, a bit of persecution will weed out one from the other.

[AdHoc]

On 10/16/2022 at 3:47 AM, Dafydd said:

The rule of Christ began in the First Century and will, I believe, become increasingly apparent until the kingdoms of the world become the Kingdom of the Lord. Christ is present today in his corporate body and the more each member of this corporate body - the church - surrenders to the Spirit of Christ within, the more the church will act as the Body of Christ and not simply as a group of human believers. In recent years, more parts of the church have switched from the human method of adversarial decision making (voting on proposals) to the Holy Spirit guided consensus method pioneered by the Quakers. This is surely a move of the Holy Spirit, as decisions reached by this method (which is really a surrender to the rule of Christ within) are necessarily God's will. I believe that as this approach becomes increasingly the normal for churches & other Christian organisations and as the world becomes increasingly Christian (which I believe it will as the centuries roll on), the method will also become normal for business and governmental organisations as well. Maybe, in the far future, competing businesses and warring countries will be replaced by Holy Spirit guided communities. Maybe society will eventually become a loose confederation of something like Christian kibbutz, all governed by the Spirit-led discernment of the will of God (=the rule of Christ).

Please read the free ebook at:  www.christianityoasis.com/PurityPublications/5145/HolySpiritGuidedConsensus.htm.

Also an article at: westfriend.org/Media/quaker-style-method-governance

Blessings!

It would seem to me that, based on the problems that provoked the various letters to the Churches, and especially our Lord's letters to the seven Churches of Revelation, that the Church is in crisis. And based on 2nd Thessalonians 2 and 2nd Timothy 3, this crisis will exponentially worsen. The Church was to be a testimony of Christ. What is the Church's testimony? Is love of one's neighbor, moral uprightness and a separateness from the lust if the eye, lust of the flesh and pride of life the testimony of the Church today. Or is it fame, private jets, slanderings and 45% divorce rate? Paul wrote, and Jesus wrote to, THE (singular) Church at a city. Reality today is that a moderate size city in the west will have over 200 Churches. But do we not read that "division" is a work of the flesh?

As the age closes, we read prophecy that says the Church will be like Laodicea - with Christ outside the door of His Own House - refused entry. We read in Revelation 7 of a great innumerable company of mankind who must pass through the Great Tribulation. And the reason seems clear. Their garments were dirty. In Matthew 22 those with inadequate garments were ejected from the wedding feast of the Son of the Father. In Revelation 12 we find those, "who have the testimony of Jesus Christ" having to flee to a wilderness. And God does not help her. The earth must help her. In Revelation 13:7 not only are Christians found on earth enduring the Great Tribulation, but they are ineffective and overcome by the Beast. And in Revelation  18:4 we find a portion of God's People dwelling in Mystery Babylon.

The dwellers of a Medieval city take turns to stand guard of the walls. Their job is to be first to see an enemy army sneaking up in the 4th watch. If the watchman spots the enemy and sounds the warning, he is praised and thanked. In Christianity, anyone who shouts the above warning is, at best, dismissed. At worst, other Christians seek his death and/or imprisonment (Phil.1:16).

In His letters to the Churches in Revelation 2 and 3, our Lord calls for a Christian REMNANT called "Overcomers". Who of you would like to be one? 

[Marvin74]

On 10/15/2022 at 9:47 PM, Dafydd said:

The rule of Christ began in the First Century...

Is there any scripture to support this belief?  Thank you.

[timf]

    The rule of Christ began in the First Century...

Is there any scripture to support this belief?  Thank you.

Col_1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Paul writes that Christians have already been translated into the kingdom. However, since we are seated in the hevenlies, we might assume that the heaven portion of his kingdom has already been established.

The earthly kingdom was offered and accepted by Israel at Mt. Sinai and Israel was supposed to be a nation of priests through whom the whole world would have heard about God. Since they failed to obey, it was prophesied that a new covenant would be needed (Jer 31:31). Jesus came to offer that kingdom, but was rejected by the nation.

I see that after the tribulation that a faithful remnant of Israel will receive her king and kingdom and the earthly part of the kingdom will be established.

 

[Live2believe]

2 hours ago, timf said:

    The rule of Christ began in the First Century...

Is there any scripture to support this belief?  Thank you.

Col_1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Paul writes that Christians have already been translated into the kingdom. However, since we are seated in the hevenlies, we might assume that the heaven portion of his kingdom has already been established.

Yes, true believers are already in the Kingdom. Kingdom of God is not a geographical location (heaven), but a state of mind:

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17).