THE POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHURCH Scripture Reading: Eph. 1:20-23 THE CHURCH BEING THE CONTINUATION OF CHRISTS POSITION AND WORK We have seen the work of the Lord as well as the kingdom and the evil intention of Satan. Now we come to the position and responsibility of the church. In the eyes of God the church occupies a very important place. Its position is that of being joined to Christ, and its responsibility is to continue the warfare that Christ fought on earth. Christ the Head has ascended, but His Body is still on earth. The church, as the Body of Christ, is His propagation, continuing His stand and work to fight against Gods enemy.
Ephesians 1:20-23 shows us that the power which operated in Christ not only raised Him from the dead, but caused Him to ascend to the heavens. This resurrection power is the power of ascension. Through His resurrection the church received its life, and through His ascension the church assumed its position of authority and inherited the kingdom. In this way, He brought heaven to earth, and His will can be done on earth, as in the heavens. Christ ascended to the heavens and received the heavenly authority; now He is able to bring heaven to earth. Resurrection alone is not enough; there must also be ascension. When we stand in the heavenly position, we transcend all things. When the Lord ascended to the heavens, He transcended all the powers of the enemy, and God subjected all things under His feet. (Of course, this is not fully manifested at the present time.)
Christ ascended and became Head over all things to the church (Eph. 1:22). Verse 23 clearly shows that the church and Christ are inseparable. The church is filled with Christ; it is the fullness of Christ, the overflow of Christ. Gods desire is to gain a corporate man. The church, which is formed of individual saints who are put into Christ, is the corporate Christ; it is the combination of all the small portions of Christ in the saints. As the Body of Christ, the church is the continuation of Christ. Everything that belongs to Christ belongs to the church. The position that Christ attained is the position that the church has attained. The works that Christ accomplished are sustained and perpetuated through the church.
THE CHURCH STANDING BETWEEN THE CROSS AND THE KINGDOM The cross of Christ produced the church, and the church brings in the kingdom. Hence, the church stands between the cross and the kingdom. The present age is the time for the church to practically realize the victory of Christ. The Head has overcome; now the Body must also overcome. The Lord destroyed the devil on the cross and produced the church with resurrection life. Today God is establishing His kingdom on earth through His church. The church must continue the victorious work that Christ has carried out against Satan. It is responsible for bringing heavens will down to earth and for carrying it out on earth.
THE CHURCH CONTINUING CHRISTS BATTLE ON EARTH In John 1216 Satan is spoken of as the ruler of this world three times (12:31; 14:30; 16:11). Presently, he is the ruler of this world, and the nations of this world are his domain. In the millennium, he will be bound and cast into the abyss. Before that time, the church is on the earth to curb the activities of Satan. The prayer of the church is the most effective means of curbing Satan. The church is a miniature of the kingdom. Any place that manifests Gods authority is a place where the kingdom is realized (Matt. 12:28). It is our responsibility to put a halt to Satans will. Wherever the church is, Satans authority will retreat. The church is on the earth to perpetuate and manifest Christs victorious stand over Satan.
THE CHURCH CARRYING OUT GODS WILL ON EARTH Subduing the Rulers and Authorities The church has a great responsibility on the earth today. On the negative side, the church has to subdue the power of darkness and continue the warfare that Christ waged against Satan. On the positive side, the church brings Gods will to earth. Wherever we are, we should stand firm. When we read the daily news, we can find where the enemy is working, and we should render proper, opposing prayers. Second Corinthians 10:4 says, For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but powerful before God for the overthrowing of strongholds. Ephesians 6:12 says, For our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies. Our prayer must be powerful before God in order to oppose the power of darkness. Before we can reign in the future, we have to learn to rule over everything today. We rule over the thrones on earth by the throne in heaven. Believers fail because they have not exercised their authority; they have not prayed to reign over the political events. As soon as we see the devils power or work, we should exercise our authority to pray. If there were no Christians on earth today, the world would be like hell. We have to learn to exercise the overcoming authority of Christ to rule over the power of darkness.
Preaching the Gospel Everyone in this world is a captive of Satan. But God wants the Christians to recapture the captives through the gospel and win them back to Gods side. When God wins one more person, Satan has one less person. First Timothy 2:4 says, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. This shows that the gospel is part of Gods will. God delivers men with the purpose of saving them to the extent that Gods authority can be fully manifested through them. God wants us to preach the gospel and through it to carry out His will. Those who do not open their mouths and do not testify for God have failed to uphold Gods will.
Casting out Demons Every believer should be able to cast out demons; this act also carries out Gods will. When we cast out the demons by the Spirit of God, the kingdom of God has come upon us (Matt. 12:28).
Overturning Anything Not Found in Heaven We have to overturn anything on earth that is not found in heaven. In heaven there is no lawlessness, sickness, weakness, or hunger because Gods will is done in the heavens. If these things come to us through Gods permission, they will go away after awhile (Matt. 10:29; Job 38:8-11; Jer. 5:22). But if they are from Satan, they will not go away, even after months and years. We have to differentiate between the things that God has allowed to come upon us and the things that Satan has set to ensnare us. We have to reject anything that comes to us without Gods permission. The earth should have only that which is found in heaven. Whatever heaven does not have should not be found on the earth. This is the churchs responsibility on the earth.
Absolutely Obeying Gods Will The church must obey Gods will absolutely. His will must be done in man before it can be done on earth. Nothing can replace Gods will, not even sacrifice, zeal, or work. It is not a matter of good or evil but a matter of Gods will. If a work cannot be linked to Gods will and cannot inflict loss to the gates of Hades, it is useless. God brings us through many trials because He wants His will to be done, not because He is cruel. God tests us again and again to see what and who we are living for.
Not Having Private Associations In the casting out of the demon in Acts 19:13-16, we see that the enemy fears only those who do not associate with him in private. He recognizes those who refuse to associate with him. In the kingdom of the demons, a well-recognized name carries much weight. The devil knows and fears men such as Paul, whose names are well-recognized and who are absolutely for God. Some Christians secretly want to associate themselves with the devil. The devil only laughs at such ones because they are not absolute for Gods will. They can never shake the gates of Hades. Only those who are absolute and who do not associate themselves with the devil privately will bring Gods will to earth.
Praying Genuine prayer is a joint labor with God to bring His kingdom to the earth and to carry out His will on earth. Hence, prayer is nothing less than a spiritual battle (2 Cor. 10:2, 4; Matt. 6:10; Eph. 6:12). Prayer overturns the power of darkness and opens the way for Gods will to be executed on earth.
Not Belonging to the World We are above the world; we do not belong to this world (John 17:16). Through the cross God delivered us out of this world unto Himself and His will (Gal. 6:14). We should not belong to this world, and we should not return to the reign of Satan. Once we are not of this world, Satan will not have any ground in us. When we are not of this world, we will be free from Satans authority, and we will be delivered from His reign and kingdom. In this way, Gods will can be carried out on earth.
May God execute His will and accomplish His purpose through the church. The churchs responsibility on the earth today is to perpetuate Christs victory on the earth and to bring in Gods kingdom. When the church is faithful to its position and responsibility, Gods eternal purpose will be accomplished.
_________________ Mike
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