Introduction

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Jesus Christ was not sent to earth by the heavenly Father to participate in preexisting religious practice or even initiate a new religious movement. Instead, He was sent to share divine life with fallen, spiritually dead human beings.

“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men” (John 1:4).

Relative to the fall, however, mankind is characterized by a darkened mind, perverse will and deceitful emotions. As a consequence, he is blind to the biblical message of life and, therefore, all too willing to stop short of the pursuit of the living God and settle for the practice of lifeless religion.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The modern religious church typically gathers in a formal, large group to perform a predetermined liturgical service. When asked why, the most common response from leadership is, “We’ve always done it this way before”. Therefore, rather than the Bible, they defer to civic, religious and historic precedent to defend their church practice.

“…whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

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In contrast, the original, living church of the New Testament was distinct. Its distinctiveness was not by accident. The New Testament church was carefully conceived and initiated before the foundation of the world to fulfill the purpose and mission of God on earth.

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life” (John 5:39-40).

The distinct quality and quantity of living fruit yielded by the original New Testament church provided evidence of its divine origin and cultivation. Further, it served to reveal the manifold wisdom of God to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places (Ephesians 3:10).

“For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world” (John 6:33).

Much to the surprise of the modern religious church, the New Testament actually does reveal the specific manner in which the original church gathered collectively to seek the Lord. However, discernment requires that the New Testament be viewed dependently and prayerfully apart from the bias of religious history.

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:37-38).

The New Testament reveals that the gatherings of the original church were a celebration of life shared with God in Christ. Emphasizing the preeminence of Christ, they were Spirit-ordered, characterized by the interactive ministry of eternal life (zoe) by the Spirit through the spiritually gifted involvement of every member of the body.

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12).

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God carefully cultivated the original, living church on earth in the form of a spiritual body. It was not designed to be animated by human effort, but by His indwelling life. Consequently, the original church community understood that it was not their responsibility to build the church for God, but to faithfully depend on Him to produce the church in them.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

The original, living church was animated by God through the intimacy of a small group environment that was interactive, intergenerational and moved from house to house. The life-based practice of the New Testament church was more specifically evidenced by the small group observance of the Lord’s Supper as a full, celebratory meal; purposeful prayer; intentional community interaction; participatory worship in song; loving, spiritually gifted ministry; joyful giving; corrective spiritual discipline; cooperative discipleship; and team-oriented outreach. Accommodative of the indwelling God, the gatherings of the early church produced spiritual fruit that was profoundly abundant.

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

As indicated by both the New Testament and church history, it is the will of God to reform the modern religious church to its original, living design. It was predetermined that it would be a gracious act of God.   Therefore, cooperation would occur by faith alone. Providing an indisputable testimony of selfless love, unfailing mercy and absolute justice, it would serve to further the vindication of the divine nature for benefit of the angelic host.

“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life” (1 John 5:11-12).