From: allan-sv@algonet.se   
      
                   Jesus is the Lord of the Mission   
                               Matt.28:18-20   
      
      
   To understand this article, you must observe that the churches are   
   not the Body of Christ. It is an essential difference between an   
   organization and a living organism. With "the Assembly of God"   
   I mean all true Christians, the Body o Christ. According to 1 Cor.   
   12:12-31. This is no church and no denomination. Please, read the   
   article "30. The Assembly of God".   
      
   There is scarcely any Christian activity today which has no special   
   name. Either are the Christians connected with a church or else have   
   they made special names for their activity, but in the Bible there   
   occur no such names. It is importantly that we do not place any other   
   name besides the name of the Lord when we speak about the work   
   of God. Exodus 20:3.   
      
   When the apostle Paul came to Corinth, then he did not come as a   
   representative of "The Apostolic Mission" or any such name. "For   
   I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus   
   Christ and him crucified." 1 Cor. 2:2. It was not "The Apostles   
   Pioneer Mission" that had sent him, but he was an envoy of   
   Jesus Christ. "Now then we are envoys for Christ, as though God   
   did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled   
   to God." 2 Cor. 5:20.   
      
   (In the English Bible they have written "ambassadors for Christ",   
   but it is not correct. This world has not acknowledge the kingdom   
   of God and there is no diplomatic connection between the world   
   and the kingdom of God. Accordingly, the apostles were no   
   ambassadors and they did not appear as ambassadors. For the   
   apostles and for all Christians this world is a hostile country and   
   we have no Christian embassy here. Anyone who chooses to be a   
   friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.   
   James 4:4).   
      
   Perhaps you think, but that was the apostles. But who has said that   
   we other Christians have right to use other names instead of the   
   Lord's name when we serve him? Shall we represent Jesus Christ   
   or anything other? The disruption of the Christians in many   
   different churches is in the reality caused of idolatry. They have   
   raised up other names besides the Lord's name when they really   
   ought to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified.   
   Please, compare Genesis 11:4.   
      
   To reach the real Christian unity about which the Bible tells,   
   we all Christians must leave the churches and confess that we   
   belong to Jesus alone. For in him we have salvation and all   
   blessings of God. Eph. 1:3. For there is no other name under   
   heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12.   
   The Lord is perfect and his name does not need be completed   
   with any party labels.   
      
   It is a usual argument that we must have a name that separates   
   us from others. Then the question is, from which would we   
   become separated? The one name that we can accept as "separate-   
   name" is Jesus Christ. His name separates us from those who do   
   not belong to him. However, many use the Lord's name and mean   
   that they are Christians though they are not, but then they take   
   the Lord's name in vain. Though it is forbidden in law that anyone   
   takes the name of the Lord in vain, Exodus 20:7, there is no other   
   name that they so abuse as just the name of the Lord. The churches   
   have made all their evil deeds "in the name of God."   
      
   Concerning the Christian mission, it says that the missionaries   
   are sent out of churches and denominations. Nevertheless, if the   
   Christians had not been divided in several churches and   
   denominations, still more missionaries could have been sent out.   
   Then they had been able to preach a more biblical gospel, without   
   church traditions, and still more had been won for Christ. Then   
   the missionaries had been sent out, not of any church, but of a   
   united Body of Christ. The money swallowed by luxurious   
   church buildings could instead have been used to the mission.   
   The churches have been obstacles to the Christian mission and   
   shall not take any glory for what has been won through the   
   Christian mission.   
      
   Churches and denominations are against every tendency to   
   revival. When any members want to leave church they get the   
   question: Do you think leave the Christian fellowship? But   
   leaving church or a denomination is not the same as to leave   
   the Christian fellowship. Instead it is the churches and   
   denominations that have destroyed the Christian fellowship.   
   Those who are most eager to quote Hebr. 10:25 are those who   
   have abandoned the Christian fellowship for the church   
   fellowship. We must make a distinction between Christian   
   fellowship and church fellowship for it is not the same. The   
   church fellowship we can leave for it has no support in the   
   Bible.   
   "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together: as the   
   manner of some is." Hebr. 10:25. On that time when this was   
   written some had this habit, but now the whole assembling of   
   the Christians has been destroyed. The Christians are now split   
   in several churches, denominations and religious sects. And the   
   boundary between the Body of Christ and the world is very   
   unclear. Believers and unbelievers belong to the same   
   denomination and go to the same church.   
      
   Denominations and churches do not demand conversion to the   
   Lord and baptism. The membership has nothing to do with   
   Christian faith. For the sake of ecumenicalism, also the   
   Pentecostal Movement has given up the demand of conversion   
   and baptism and can have alliance-meetings with other churches   
   and even with Catholics.   
      
   Allan Svensson   
      
   Do you want to read the continuation of this article   
   or if you have any questions   
   Please, visit my Web Site   
      
   http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/CONTENTS.HTM   
      
   (Article 32)   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)