By Jim Stockstill

Set Apart and Sealed by the Holy Spirit

May 4, 2023

Ambassadors and the Ekklesia

 

As “desperately wicked” people, we cannot reform our hearts through our effort – the only solution is for God to make our hearts new

 

Ultraviolet Light

2 Corinthians 4:18 “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Follow up to Artificial Intelligence:

• Congress acting to prevent AI from launching a nuclear attack.

Advances in Robots:

• Pictures from Japanese Human-like Robots

Transhumanism:

• Transhumanism, philosophical and scientific movement that advocates the use of current and emerging technologies—such as genetic engineering, cryonics, artificial intelligence (AI), and nanotechnology to augment human capabilities and improve the human condition.  Transhumanists envision a future in which the responsible application of such technologies enables humans to slow, reverse, or eliminate the aging process, to achieve corresponding increases in human life spans, and to enhance human cognitive and sensory capacities.  The movement proposes that humans with augmented capabilities will evolve into an enhanced species that transcends humanity—the “posthuman.”

Unidentified Aerial Phenomena: 

• Cattle mutilations in Texas

Part 2 Review

 

The Soul: Mind, Will, and Emotions

The Heart

Depravity of Mankind

The New Birth

The only hope for the sinful human heart is to be supernaturally changed or as Jesus told the esteemed scholar Nicodemus:

John 3:3,5-6 “3 Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again [from above] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit.”

The Solution: A New Heart

The spirit and soul

• Isaiah 32:15 “Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.”
• Luke 24:49 “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
• Acts 2:1-4 “1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them.”

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May 4, 2023

Part 3

The Ekklesia: Ambassadors of Christ in a Legislative Body

Ambassador’s

Ekklesia

Old Testament: Assembly, Congregation [Israel]

Assembly [H 6591]: Qahel – congregation (86x), assembly (17x), company (17x), and multitude (3x).

• Numbers 20:6 “And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them.”

• Deuteronomy 9:10 “And the Lord delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the Lord spoke with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.”

Formation of the Ekklesia/Ecclesia

Matthew 16:16-20 “16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church [G 1577: Ekklesia]; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 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. 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.”

• Peter [G 4074]: Petros – a rock or stone.
• Rock [G 4073]: A rock, cliff, or ledge.  A large stone.  The setting was Caesarea Philippi near the base of Mt. Hermon.  About 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee, at 9,230 feet, it is almost three times the height of any other peak in the territory of ancient Israel.  Figurately considered the “Gates of Hell.”
• Church [G 1577]: An assembly, a calling out, and set apart.  An assembly of the Israelites.
• Gates [G 4439 (10x)]: The gates of Hades – likened to a prison i.e., keys to the access or entrance.
• Hell [G 86 (11x)]: The grave, nether world, the realm of the dead.  The rich man and Lazarus.
• Revelation 1:18 “I am he that lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death.”
• Prevail (against) [G 2729 (2x)]: To overpower or overcome to another’s detriment. Superior in strength.

Act 2:46-47 “46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church [G 1577] daily such as should be saved.”

Acts 5:11 “And great fear came upon all the church, [G1577] and upon as many as heard these things.”

Ecclesia Structure

The first mention (Matthew 16:18) of the formation of the church, properly the Ekklesia, was made by Jesus in establishing His legislative body (ambassadors on earth).  An extension of His heavenly Kingdom, He detailed the structure (Ephesians 4:11-12), or organizational chart, for this governmental body and its function.

Knowing that evil (principalities and powers) would oppose and try to destroy the Ecclesia/Ekklesia, He appointed apostles [special governmental representatives], prophets [speaking a new message from God], evangelists [spreading the good news], pastors and teachers to guide and fully equip His people for works of service in anticipated warfare by building-up and maturing members of His earthly Kingdom.  He made clear; the authorities of the infernal region and evil spirits in high places (second heaven) would not overpower or prevail in their efforts to destroy His legitimate earthly legislative assembly.

Unfortunately, nearly three centuries later in an effort of appeasement from persecution, Roman Emperor Constantine Caesar Flavius (worshiper of the Moon god Nanna) assembled 300 Christian bishops and many church leaders attended the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325.  What came of the meeting was a statement of doctrine called the “Nicene Creed” that all of Christianity would follow and obey.  Although it affirmed the full deity of Christ, the Emperor installed a structure that completely changed the original constitution initiated and taught by Christ.  Nearly 50 years after the Nicene decree, Emperor Theodosius I (reign: 379-395) made Christianity the official state religion.

Subtly replacing the five-fold ministry has led to a “religious system” that eradicated the knowledge and work of the Ekklesia by the Holy Spirit.  This “powerless” system of rules, regulations and focus on mammon (material wealth and tithing) has led to the deterioration in church attendance and original function and demonstration of works (signs, wonders, and miracles) and function (maturing the saints) of ambassadors for Christ and His Kingdom.  Additionally, at times it seems the church has lost its moral compass and compromises with the world (cosmos) as the early leaders did with Constantine.

Revelation 2 and 3:

Ephesus          Doctrine [Lost their first love]

Smyrna          Thought they were poor, but Jesus said they were rich.

Pergamos       Married to the world – what Satan could not do with persecution he did with compromise.  The doctrine of Balaam – gold and silver and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.

Thyatira         Medieval period, Jezebel. [Pope’s and the Catholic Church]

Sardis             Have a name that you live but are dead.  [Protestant Reformation]

Philadelphia  Will keep you from the hour of temptation.

Laodicean      Miserable, blind, naked, and think you are rich. Jesus outside the church.

 

Blessings in Christ,

Joseph “Jim” Stockstill
“National War Council” – Founder and Chairman
Jim5555@nationalwarcouncil.org
P.O. Box 931
Argyle, TX 76226

nwc@nationalwarcouncil.org
Jim5555@nationalwarcouncil.org
Donations to National War Council

“He hath shown thee what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.”
Micah 6:8