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<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">“<b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Tel:
<a href="tel:253-517-9195" target="_blank">253-517-9195</a> - Email:
<a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com" target="_blank">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/" target="_blank">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">August 1, 2012</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
<br></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
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</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>2012-07-31
- CHURCH - ek-kl<u>e</u><span style="text-decoration:none">SIa -
114x - A 7-</span><span style="text-decoration:none">FOLD</span><span style="text-decoration:none">
NT P</span><span style="text-decoration:none">ICTURE</span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="CENTER">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">INTRO:
</span><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">There
are 114 references to the word “church” ek-kl</span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><u>e</u></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">SIa
- in the NT. The word comes from “ek” - “from” or “out of”
+ kaLE</span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><u>o</u></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">,
“to call”. So - members in a true church - are those who have
been “called out of the world by God.” John 15:16 perhaps makes
this clear as Jesus tells His 12 disciples that </span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><u>they</u></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">
had not chosen Him, but </span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><u>He</u></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">
had chosen </span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><u>them</u></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">,
and </span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><u>appointed</u></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">
them.</span></font></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b>THEME: Every believer should
understand his status as a member of Christ’s church. Following are
7 of the 114 “church” references. The complete definition
requires all 114 references to be considered. Yet 7 typical
references tend to reveal a fairly accurate understanding.</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">1.
MATTHEW 16:18 (16:13-20) JESUS’ WORD ON HIS CHURCH. </span></font><span style="text-decoration:none">
“</span><span style="text-decoration:none">And I say unto you,
that you are Peter, and upon this :rock I will build my :</span><u>church,</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
and </span><i><span style="text-decoration:none">the</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (NNT). </span></span></b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Note
that the church </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">is</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">not</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
ours - it belongs to Jesus! One will sometimes hear a leader refer to
“my church”. Not so! It belongs </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">only</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
to Jesus, and it is to be governed according to His Word, not human
or denominational tradition. Jesus accused the Jews of His day of
making void the Word of God according to their “tradition”!</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">-
Peter is the surname Jesus gave Cephas. It means “Little rock -
PEtros”. But Jesus says </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">not</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
upon PEtros will He build His church - but upon “peTRA” - a huge
rock ledge. The Newfoundland Banks of the NE coast of North America
is such a rock ledge (peTRA); smaller rocks (PEtros) may be found
upon it. Jesus </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">Himself</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
is the chief corner stone of His Temple, with we as Living Stones
built upon Him. The apostles and prophets a</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">re</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
the foundation stones attached to Him, the Chief Corner Stone, tying
it all together. In this light, I have difficulty accepting that
Peter’s confession is the “peTRA”.</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">-
The keys of the Kingdom Jesus give to Peter to bind and loose - must
be understood in the light of the Greek “Perfect Passive
Participle”. In the Williams translation it reads this way:
“Whatever you bind on earth </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">must
already have been bound in the mind of God in heaven</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">”.
God is not our water-boy - we are His water-boy. We must walk
sufficiently close to Him like George Muller did - to know His mind.
Then we speak </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">His
thoughts</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
on earth, and they a</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">re
then</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
bound and loosed down here! Jesus did not as Son of man speak </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">one
word</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
that did not originate with His Father in heaven; nor did one miracle
- but it was first shown to him as His Father’s mind. He was the
perfect servant (DOUlos) to His Father. The 4 Servant Songs of Isaiah
exactly foretell this spirit in God’s only-begotten Son!</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">-
This reference to “church” in this verse is the </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">first</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
of 114 references. Those who teach pedagogy say that in “the law of
first reference” - we find </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">the
definition</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
of a word. I have labored somewhat more on this reference - because I
believe it is important that we sense what God would have us know of
</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">His
thinking</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
concerning this Word Study.</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">2.
MATTHEW 18:15-17 (18:1-20) THE </span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u>ONLY</u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
RULE FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH.</span></span></font></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><span style="text-decoration:none">“</span><font size="3"><b><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">And
if your :brother sin, go, reprove him between you and him alone: if
he hear you, you have gained your :brother. </span></span><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">16
</span></span></font><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">But
if he does not hear, take with you one or two more, that at </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration:none">the</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
mouth of two witnesses or three every word stand. </span></span><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">17
</span></span></font><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">And
if he refuse to he</span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">a</span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">r
them, tell the </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>church</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">:
and if he refuse to hear the </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>church</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
also, let him be to you as the Gentile and the publican.” </span></span></b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">This
is the second and third of the 114 references to the NT word </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">church</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">,
the only times Jesus refers to this Word.</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">-
John Wesley calls these 3 verses: “The Cure to Evil Speaking.” We
are </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">not</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
to speak a critical word concerning any fellow church believer to
anyone else, before we have </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">first</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
shared that word with </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">him</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">!
To break this rule is to be guilty of </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">evil
speaking</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">!
If he does not hear us, then we take one or two more, and repeat our
problem with him. </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">No
other</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
plan than this will keep us free from evil speaking. If he will not
hear the 2 or 3, then and then only can it be told to the </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">church</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
- the local church. In 1971 in Seattle under the leadership of Dennis
Bennett and Derek Prince, 30 visiting Apostolic Teachers signed a
pledge to handle </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">all</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
interpersonal problems in this way only! It brought tremendous
revival. Over 1000 Seattle Metroplex citizens became believers that
week, besides many healed, delivered and baptized in the Spirit.
50,000 attended meetings that week in June. It was front page news in
both Seattle Dailies.</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">-
Is God interested in what we in the church do concerning Matthew
18:15-17, and this </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">first</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
rule Jesus gave to the church? Decidedly so! Unfortunately - it is
the first rule most often broken.</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>3.
EPHESIANS 5:32 (5:22-22) CHRIST AND HIS RELATIONSHIP TO HIS CHURCH.
</b></span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>“This
:mystery is great: but I speak </b></span></span></font><font size="3"><i><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>in
regard</b></span></i></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>
to Christ and the </b></span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><b>church</b></u></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>.”
</b></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">There
are 3 other reference to “church” in this context. The reference
I have selected out </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">of
</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">these
4 refer to the </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><u>Mystery</u></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">
of the relationship o</span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">f</span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">
Christ to His church, as illustrated by the relationship of a husband
to his wife. Imagine - God has arranged to have the human marriage
relationship to portray the divine relationship of Christ to His
Heavenly Bride, His Church, the One New Man, His Temple, His Army -
and many more analogies!</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">-
So - the marriage relationship is a </span><u>high</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
and </span><u>holy</u><span style="text-decoration:none"> calling.
It is designed for a man and wife, </span><u>not</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
homosexual relationships! When nations slip to the level of
legalizing what God calls an abomination - we are as a nation </span><u>not
far</u><span style="text-decoration:none"> from the judgment of God.
Remember Sodom and Gomorrah. Remember Gibeah and the tribe of
Benjamin in the last part of the book of Judges!</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">-
The relationship of Christ and His Church is termed by the apostle
Paul as </span><u>A Mystery</u><span style="text-decoration:none">!
There are 27 mysteries listed in the NT, and this is one of the high
ones. God chose Paul to receive understanding of NT mysteries, and
for 3 years following his conversion, Jesus in the desert taught him
these - plus much more. What the 12 disciples received in 3 years
from Jesus prior to Pentecost - Paul received in 3 years </span><u>after</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
Pentecost, and no other apostle had such understanding in these
mysteries for the Gentile part of the Church, the One New Man.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">4.
EPHESIANS 1:22 (1:15-2:10) JESUS: HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO THE
CHURCH! </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“And
he (the Father) put all </span></font><font size="3"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">things</span></i></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
in subjection under his :feet, and gave him for a head over all
</span></span></font><font size="3"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">things</span></i></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
to the </span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><u>church</u></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">.”
</span></span></font></b><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">God
the Father has set forth His only-begotten Son in the highest light
in th</span></span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">is</span></span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
portion of Scripture - and related it all to Jesus’ relationship to
the </span></span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">Church</span></u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">!
</span></span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">He</span></u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
is the Head. And the </span></span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">Church</span></u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
is His spiritual body, of which </span></span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">we</span></u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
are members in particular - or individually. What a High and Holy
Calling we have in Jesus!</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">5.
EPHESIANS 3:10 (3:1-13) </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">THE
CHURCH: GOD’S CHANNEL TO TEACH SATAN WISDOM! </span></span><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">God
created all things - </span></span></font><font size="3"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">“in
order </span></i></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">that
now </span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">unto
the principalities and the powers in the heavenlies be made known
through the </span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><u>church</u></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
the manifest wisdom of :God.” </span></span></font></b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Ephesians
is accounted by most as containing the highest portrayal of church
truth. I am one of those many. There are 7 pictures in Ephesians that
are analyses of our relationship to Jesus Christ! No other NT letter
comes up to this level. (The Book of Revelation is not classified
with the 21 NT letters).</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">-
I like to link the book of Romans with Passover; Ephesians with
Pentecost; and the two letters to the Thessalonian church to
Tabernacles and the Return of our Lord. To master Ephesians and its
unique insight to the church should be a “must” for each one of
us. When I had a choice in 1945 to outline my first NT book in the
light of my discovery of Bible Numerics through Ivan Panin - I chose
the Book of Ephesians for this purpose. I wondered if I touch</span></span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">ed</span></span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
ground when I walked for the next week! I was in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan at the time.</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">6.
1 CORINTHIANS 16:19 (16:19-24) CITY CHURCHES PLUS A CHURCH IN THE
HOME. </span></span><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">“The
</span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><u>churches</u></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
of :Asia salute you. Aquila and Prisca salute you much in </span></span></font><font size="3"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">the</span></i></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
Lord, with the </span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><u>church</u></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
in their house.” </span></span></font></b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Here
we see in one verse a contrast between two types of churches.</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">-
Later we will consider the 7 City Churches of Asia, first in an
Outlined Overview - and then in the 7</span></span></span></font><sup><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">th</span></span></span></font></sup><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
reference to church in this particular study.</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">-
But the 14 local churches - or churches in the home are what make up
the one church in a city. It is composed of many local churches,
which in the beginning had but one elder in each such church. The
plurality of Eldership was then “city”, not local. It is obvious
that mega-churches need to adapt such principles - yet in China,
</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">intensive
persecution has pushed them back to the beginning syndrome!</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">7.
REVELATION 1:4 (1:4-7) THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA. </span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">“John
to the seven </span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><u>churches</u></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
in :Asia: Grace to you and peace, from him who is and who was and who
is to come; and from the seven Spirits :before his :throne.” </span></span></font></b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">There
are 7 City Churches referred to in this book, and in chapters 2 and 3
are referred to 14 times by the word “church”, ek-kl</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">e</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">SIa.
How many local churches in each of these 7 city churches? We are not
told. But insofar as local churches met in homes in that day, they
would not number too many members - and a city church like Ephesus
that evangelized the entire area of Asia Minor, modern Turkey, - must
have had scores if not hundreds of local churches in the home. Paul
spent 3 years there, and then place</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">d</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
Timothy as the Apostolic City pastor in his place when he move</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">d</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
on. He did the same with Titus in Crete, and trusted him to appoint
elders in each city church, one for each church in the home.</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">CONCLUSION:
</span></span></font></b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
These are difficult concepts for us today, because of the change that
human denominational traditions have brought into the church. We tend
to interpret the NT in the light of our present situation. That we
cannot do! We must let the </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">B</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">ible
mean what </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">it</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
wants to mean, and God say what </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><u><span style="font-weight:normal">He</span></u></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
wants to say. The two are not the same. Since 1946 I have steeled
myself to read the NT in this light.</span></span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Check
out our paper on the Revelation 2 and 3 Outlined-Overview to see a
somewhat normal interpretation of these 7 City Churches of Asia
Minor. See John Dawson’s “Taking Your Cities for God” for added
insights on this subject. - Jim Watt</span></span></span></font></font></p>
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