Assembly
The word “church” (Greek “ekklesias”, “ekklesian”) is correctly translated as “assembly” and when found in the New Testament, always refers to people, the human followers of Jesus. The Greek does not refer to either a religion, a religious building or a religious organization. The Greek very poorly translated as “church” in modern bibles, derives from “ekklesia”, the name given to the political assembly of the City of Athens.
Some researchers believe the term “ekklesia” traces from a Roman word later assimilated into Greek, originally roughly meaning a gathering of common people for socio/political purpose. Not all historians agree with this, but it is virtually unanimously agreed that the Greek word “ekklesia” refers to the general assembly of those eligible to vote in ancient Greece; all male citizens over 18 (later raised to 20).
This term was apparently chosen by Jesus himself to refer to his followers, both male and female and it underscores the champion of the common people secular intent of the “good news” for sinners message of the New Testament. The more we study the words and deeds of Jesus, the more we realize the perfection of the teaching of Jesus. And the more we begin to see how corrupted and false modern Christianity truly is.
Paul, in both Ephesians Chapter I and elsewhere throughout his letters, makes it very clear that Jesus is the head and, his followers are themselves the “body” of his assembly. There is no pope, preacher, pontiff or prelate, no scientist, educator, self-help guru or anyone else who has any standing, position or authority over us. As we find explicitly stated in Romans 2:11, in regards to all of humanity: “For there is no partiality with God.”
For there is one high priest and one teacher, head and authority over all, who is Jesus: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Messiah Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
The fact that we are all equal without partiality before God, is so important to Paul that he not only definitively underscores it in Romans, he repeats it yet a third time in similar fashion in Colossians 3:11: Those who believe “. . . have put on the new man/woman is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him/her, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Messiah is all and in all.”
I Peter 2:9–10 says: “But you are a chosen lineage, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” ALL people who ask for forgiveness from Jesus are ALL part of the same “royal priesthood” before God. As noted above, in Jesus there is no brother or sister who is above another.
Suffice it to say, based on Colossians 2:21–23 and the rest of Paul’s letters, he would be utterly appalled by what today is known as Christianity, which does not remotely represent either Jesus or Paul or the rest of his early followers: “Therefore, if you died with Messiah from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations; do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, which all concern things which perish with the using, according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.”
And consider this from Galatians 4:9–11: “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years? I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.” Note how both these passages in Colossians and Galatians agree with what both Paul and Steven say in Acts, that God “does not live in temples made with hands.” (Acts 17:24 — Acts 7:48).
And, note how liberal and free Paul is and, how uptight, ridiculous and wrong modern Christianity is, turning the truth of Jesus into a twisted conservative lie. When we see Christian leaders today, openly condemning sinners and especially LGBTQ people who Jesus came to save, like Ecclesiastes says, there truly “is nothing new under the sun.”
Of such hypocrites, Paul says the following in Romans 2:1: “Therefore you are inexcusable, O one, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” As Jesus says, “he/she who is without sin among you, let him/her throw a stone at her first.”
Contact author: www.FreedomTracks.com
