The Church, the ekklesia

The word 'church' in the New Testament is translated from the Greek word 'ekklesia' which comes from two words 'ek' meaning 'out' and 'kaleo' meaning to 'call.' An ekklesia or 'calling out' was not just an assembly. The words agora and paneguris as well as heorte, koinon, thiasos, sunagoge and sunago can all mean an assembly. The word ekklesia was a political term, not a religious term. Jesus was the King and the Bible used the term ekklesia for a good reason. In classical Greek "ekklesia" meant "an assembly of citizens summoned by the crier, the legislative assembly."¹

In Israel the the government assembly, like that of the early Roman Senate, had no power to make law. They were originally composed of the elders of each family group through a net work of elections which chose titular representatives. By the time of Christ both the Senate of Rome and the Sanhedrin of Judea had become bodies of legislative rulers exercising authority over the people. They had become a body of "lawmakers" ruling the people through vast bureaucratic systems under a central ruling office of executive power.

Since, the authority of the State in Israel was originally in the hands of the elders of each family they did not usually gather together to overthrow the corruption of government, since they were the government. The heads of every household were the princes of Israel, the heads of each family group, which was a true government of the people, for the people, and by the people, under the God of Heaven as long as they remained faithful to Him.

There was, at first, no King in Israel and the original Sanhedrin mentioned in Numbers 11:16 was to stand as a sort of overseer of truth serving the will of God and the congregation of the people. They were truly titular leaders who served the public and God under the foundational laws of the government, the Ten Commandments. But eventually the voice of the people sought a ruler who could exercise authority and who appointed officers over the people from the top down making new laws of control and oppression. The need for an ekklesia steadily grew.

When the Greek city states found their governments had become too corrupt and oppressive, they would call for an ekklesia, an assembly outside the civil authority of the city. If enough people came out and refused to accept the existing centralized civil authority, that government would collapse. Non participation has been a successful and peaceful means to free mankind from oppressive civil authority throughout history.

Like the walk out strikes instituted by Gandhi in hope of freeing his people from oppression of colonization, the act of calling the people out could be a very effective method of obtaining freedom through nonviolence. Gandhi did not only encourage worker strikes, but also practical methods to free society from the benefits and need of the corporate and often oppressive civil state. Moses had done the same in Egypt when he taught the people how to live without the exercising authority and benefits of the Pharaoh while still maintaining a viable, cohesive and productive society.

Jesus' procession into Jerusalem was a call for the people to stand against a corrupt oppressive government by offering them a legitimate government that operated differently than despots like Herod the Great. John the Baptist had preached the kingdom of heaven at hand,² which was nothing less than a government operating by freewill offerings,³ voluntary charitable participation⁴ and the perfect law of liberty.⁵ Jesus preached the same method of self government and proclaimed that right for all who would remain faithful to him. It was a powerful and non violent movement of the people, by the people, and for the people to change the course of history by changing the hearts and minds of men by altering their relationship with governments of the gentiles with their leaders who called themselves benefactors but who exercised authority.⁶

The use of the word Church was a poor choice in place of the Greek ekklesia but what men often mean unto evil God turns to good. That word Church has its origin in the meaning of lordship which may be accurate from a certain point of view.

The ekklesia or Church was founded and established by Jesus Christ, Yahshua, almost 2000 years ago. It was a government established by the anointed King and appointed to look after His Kingdom. Jesus was the rightful king, the highest son of David, proclaimed by many of the people as the Annointed. The trial before the Sanhedrin was an attempt to impeach Him and therefore His appointed government. The Pharisees had given the ultimate right to choose who should be king of God's kingdom to the Romans back in the days of Pompey. ^[8]

Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

Jesus was recognized as the king by the existing world government when Pontius Pilate nailed his official recognition of Christ's kingdom to the cross. Jesus and His little flock of followers, the called out [ekklesia], were persecuted by the apostate church of that day who abandoned the house of David proclaiming they had no king but Caesar. At Pentecost thousands of Jews, citicens of Judea, and others were baptized into that government by the appointed followers of the proclaimed and recognized king. All who became members of that kingdom of Heaven were cast out⁷ of the existing system of benefits through the Corban of the Pharisees and began to live a new life according to the precepts of God's government, by faith hope and charity and the perfect law of liberty.

Are we turning away from God's ways and back to the sin of Cain?

The good news of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth was spread from Pentecost till now, and His ekklesia is still persecuted to this day. Its chief executive officer is the Holy Spirit, its King is Jesus and its Ruling Judge is YHWH, God. YaHWeH has given all power and authority to Jesus, Yahshua, who in turn has sent us the Holy Spirit to comfort us in our persecution.

Salvation is not about spelling but knowing the Name of Jesus/Yeshua. Salvation is about putting on the Character of the Father like the Son. It is self-sacrifice, service and obedience that we must get right.

What is not the CHURCH?
     There are a lot of things the Church is not but at least: It is not established by anyone but Jesus. It is not to hold lordship of one over the other. It is not to lead men into bondage nor appoint kings or officers over men. It is not to go under the authority of others. It is not to apply to others for gifts, gratuities and benefits. The Church is neither father, master nor king but it is servant to all in the perfect law of liberty.

Who can define His Holy Church?

CHURCH In its most general sense, the religious society founded and established by Jesus Christ, to receive, preserve, and propagate his doctrines and ordinances.

A body or community of Christians, united under one form of government by the profession of one faith, and the observance of the same rituals and ceremonies. Black's Law Dictionary 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th eds.

How do we get into this government of Jesus Christ, this kingdom of Heaven on Earth? Must we die to get into the Kingdom of Heaven?

He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. (Mark 12:27)

What and where is the key to the Kingdom of Heaven?

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my ekklesia (make my coming out); and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:17-19)

What is the form of His government? How does Heaven run its government, its ekklesia, here on earth?

But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.(Matthew 20:25-28)

Are you in a government which exercises dominion over you? If you are, then you are not in a government established by Jesus the Christ and the form of your government is not Christian.

Let every man remain subject to his superior authority; but should you go under authority in exchange for benefits and gratuities?

  All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body [is] not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make [them] the members of an harlot? God forbid. (1 Corinthians 6:12-14)

Have you sold the sweat of your brow and gone under the authority and power of another?

Have you sold your land in exchange for gifts and benefits?

Behold, we [are] servants this day, and [for] the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we [are] servants in it: Nehemiah 9:36

And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it. Nehemiah 9:38

Have we taken the mark of the beast?

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed [are] they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without [are] dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. ... (Revelation 22:12-18)

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Footnotes:

Return 1. Liddell and Scott define ekklesia as "an assembly of citizens summoned by the crier, the legislative assembly." [R. Scott, and H.G. Liddell, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 206.] Thayer's lexicon says, "an assembly of the people convened at the public place of council for the purpose of deliberating" [J. H. Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 196]. Trench gives the meaning as "the lawful assembly in a free Greek city of all those possessed of the rights of citizenship, for the transaction of public affairs" [R.C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, 7th ed., pp. 1-2]. Seyffert's dictionary states, "The assembly of the people, which in Greek cities had the power of final decision in public affairs" [Oskar Seyffert, A Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, pp. 202-203].From "fully after the LORD" by Steve Flinchum http://www.bryanstation.com/flinchum-fully.htm

Return 2. .Matthew 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Return 3. .Exodus 35:29 The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.

Return 4. .Luke 3:11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

Return>5. . James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Return 6. . Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. Mark 10:42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. Luke 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

Return 7. . John 9:22 These [words] spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

[8] In 66 BC, two brothers, Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II, had begun to battle for the power of the king. Aristobulus appealed to the world of Rome, and a multi national military force was sent as peace keepers.