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“[Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything” (Colossians1:15-18).
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Origin
The kingdom of God is first and foremost reflective of the sovereign authority of God. It is manifested in eternity and time for the benefit of His creation. The authority of God was challenged in eternity by the devil and his angels. In accordance with the nature of God, the subsequent fall and banishment of angelic citizens from the kingdom of God demanded justice. With foreknowledge, God had predetermined a course of action that would serve to vindicate His nature and repopulate His kingdom. It was inclusive of an unconditional covenant initiated in eternity by God; His renovation of the earth and its population with the human race; His cultivation of an earthly nation united to Him by a series of interrelated covenants; His arrival on earth in human flesh through the lineage of the earthly nation; His earthly fulfillment of the unconditional covenant initiated in eternity by His own sacrificial death and subsequent resurrection; and, united by the unconditional benefit of the eternal covenant, a representative/representational assemblage of people in one spiritual body manifested in every nation of the world. According to eternal plan, the willing obedience of the human race on earth would serve to vindicate the nature of God and provide a people qualified to repopulate His kingdom. Foreknown by God, however, the first man and covenantal head of the human race, Adam, chose the path of disobedience. Although it was manipulated by satanic deception, his disobedience was ultimately predicated on personal choice. Consequent to the disobedience of its representative headship, the human race fell from privilege to prohibition. In a state of legal unsuitability and organic incompatibility, it was prohibited from sharing life with God. The legal status of the human race was transformed from law-abiding to law-breaking; from righteous to unrighteous. As a result, humanity was burdened by an unpayable debt and became legally unsuitable to accommodate divine life (zoe). The prohibition of life (zoe) resulted in a necessary separation of life shared between God and mankind. Separated from God, humanity experienced degeneration of life. Consequently, the organic status of the human race was transformed from the highest possible quality of life; suitable for heavenly fellowship, to a significantly lower form of life appropriate for existence on earth apart from God. The earthly life (psuche) of man apart from God is subject to progressive degeneration. It is plainly evidenced in both soul and body. The degenerated soul is characterized by a darkened mind, perverse will and deceitful emotions and the degenerated human body susceptible to pain, suffering and eventual death. Relative to his degenerated state, mankind is inclined to develop forms for the church that are fallen by nature. They are innately selfish, designed to support church function that is ultimately self-willed, self-fulfilling, self-protective and self-serving. Consequently, fallen mankind is all too willing to stop short of life (zoe) and settle for the practice of lifeless religion; providing the motive and source for a church quite different from the one so gracefully distinguished in the pages of the New Testament. 
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Distinct Church
The church of the New Testament is distinct. Graciously originated by God before the foundation of the world, it is perfect in function and form (Ephesians 1:4; Hebrews 4:3). The New Testament church was created to demonstrate the attributes of the nature of God and thereby, vindicate the nature of God to the angelic host and repopulate His kingdom with willing citizens. As a result, the New Testament church serves to reveal the “manifold wisdom” of God to the heavenly host; “the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 3:10). |
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Unlike anything else on earth, the New Testament church is eternal in nature: |
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The New Testament church is an eternal, shared life community. It is eternal in origin, description, basis, calling, function, form, purpose, mission, animation, doctrine, governance, works, leadership, body, manifestation, practice, growth, measure of success and destiny. Truly distinct, the New Testament church is suitable for the fulfillment of eternal purpose within the hostile environment of the fallen earth.
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Eternally Secure
Gloriously and unconditionally joined to God by an intimate union of shared life, there is no amount of deception, difficulty or darkness that can separate the ecclesia from His living (zoe) presence and loving purpose. “…we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, ‘For your sake we are being put to death all day long, we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:28-39). The distinct church of the New Testament was established before the foundation of the world. Its eternal destiny was secured by the love of God, the blood of the Eternal Covenant and the indwelling presence of indestructible life (zoe). |
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© 2018 James Hiatt |
