The Sojourning Identity Of The Ekklesia Part 2

[one_half]Biblical Worldview Course Introduction[/one_half][one_half_last]Development Of Western Worldview[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Introduction To Biblical Worldview Part 1[/one_half][one_half_last]Introduction To Biblical Worldview Part 2[/one_half_last]

[one_half]A Theology of Restoration Vs. Annihilation Part 1[/one_half][one_half_last]A Theology Of Restoration Vs. Annihilation Part 2[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Messianic Expectation Part 1[/one_half][one_half_last]Messianic Expectation Part 2[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Defining The Kingdom Of God Part 1[/one_half][one_half_last]Defining The Kingdom Of God Part 2[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Defining The Gospel Part 1[/one_half][one_half_last]Defining The Gospel Part 2[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The Sojourning Identity Of The Ekklesia Part 1[/one_half][one_half_last]The Sojourning Identity Of The Ekklesia Part 2[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The Sojourning Mission Of The Ekklesia Part 1[/one_half][one_half_last]The Sojourning Mission Of The Ekklesia Part 2[/one_half_last]

A. In light of the original perfection of creation, the promised restoration, the coming Kingdom, and the day of the Lord we will now turn our attention to the identity of the Ekklesia. The Gospel itself anchors us into an identity as the ‘elect’—thoseset apart from the nations of the earth—to inherit the promises of the Kingdom and the resurrection.

¹Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To God’s elect,strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, (1Pe 1:1 NIV)

B. As those awaiting the coming of Jesus to receive our imperishable inheritance, we are pilgrims and sojourners on the earth now. Our identity as those who are waiting for the promises is ultimately what separates us from the nations of the earth. In light of our calling to inherit the Kingdom and the resurrection, we conduct ourselves in completely different manner than the nations of the earth.

⁹But you are ACHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, AHOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION…¹⁰for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.¹¹Beloved, I urge you asaliens and strangersto abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. (1Pe 2:9-11 NASB)

²⁵And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over themare called ‘Benefactors.’²⁶“But it isnot this way with you… (Luk 22:25-26 NASB)

¹⁷But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive,were grafted in among them and became partaker with them(i.e. of the promises of Abraham, cf 9:4) of the rich root of the olive tree,¹⁸do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root,but the root supports you. …²⁵For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery–so that you will not be wise in your own estimation–thata partial hardening has happened to Israeluntil the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; (Rom 11:17-18, 25 NASB)

C. There has been a massive perversion in the identity of the Ekklesia since the Constantinian shift. However, the recent obsession within the body of Christ regarding our ‘identity’ has really articulated what most of Church history has fought to believe. Namely, that we have fully attained everything that we need to ‘get to heaven’ at ‘conversion’, thus, undermining any future need to persevere unto an inheritance that actually hinges upon our conduct in this age.

D. Within a Christoplatonic worldview we are destined for heaven, and thus all that is needed in order to fulfill our ‘destiny’ is simply to ‘get saved’ (i.e. ‘forgiven’) which ensures our entrance into heaven and thus our destiny. However,within the context of a real second coming, a real day of the Lord, and real government established on the earth then everything about how we live this life has dramatic consequences forever.

E. Man’s rebellion and pride has lead to an obsession to remove ultimate accountability for our lives from our belief. From infant baptism (thus ensuring inclusion into heaven), ‘sonship theology’, the pre-tribulation rapture, once saved-always saved, postmillennialism, etc… are simply historic deviations from the clear ecclesiology of the apostles which supply believers with a totally false security of their identity.

⁷But whatever things (i.e. assurance of entrance into the promises, status, security of identity, and reputation, cf. Phil. 3:4-6) were gain (i.e. to my advantage) to me, those things I have counted as loss (i.e. as damaging to me) for the sake of Christ.⁸More than that, I count all things to be lossin view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I havesuffered the lossof all things (i.e. assurance, security, reputation, etc…), andcount thembut rubbish so that I may gain Christ,⁹and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law (i.e. false assurance of inclusion into the promises of Abraham), but that which is throughfaith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,¹⁰that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, beingconformed to His death;¹¹in order thatI may attain to the resurrection from the dead.¹²Not that I have already obtained itor have already become perfect, butI press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold ofby Christ Jesus.¹³Brethren,I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, (Phl 3:7-13 NASB)

¹²So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,work out your salvation with fear and trembling; (Phl 2:12 NASB)

F. The nations of the earth are all living for the same things, but we know their end. Thus,we must live in a completely different mannersince we don’t share their ambitions or their destiny.The effectiveness of the church’s witness on the earth is wholly dependent upon the measure to which they embrace this sojourning identity.

¹¹Beloved, I urge you asaliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lustswhich wage war against the soul.¹²Keep your behavior excellentamong the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them,glorify God in the day of visitation(cf. Matt. 5:16).¹³Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake toevery human institution(i.e. governments), whetherto a kingas the one in authority,¹⁴or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.¹⁵For such is the will of God that by doing right you maysilence the ignorance of foolish men. (1Pe 2:11-15 NASB)

G. To the measure that we live after the indulgences of this age as the nations of the earth do, then we have our witness of allegiance to the coming King and His Kingdom dulled and it becomes of no effect. The message of the Gospel is of little or no effect if we don’t believe that our Messiah is coming back to actually judge all men by a real standard of righteousness and order our lives accordingly.

A. Within the context of a sojourning identity—still qualifying for our inheritance—we are wholly dependent upon the grace of God which sustains us unto the day of the Lord and our inheritance in the Kingdom and the resurrection. Thus we organize ourselves both corporately and individually by prayer since prayer is the means that we receive the grace of God.

³Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about ourcommon salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that youcontend earnestly for the faithwhich was once for all handed down to the saints.⁴For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehandmarked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn thegrace of our God into licentiousnessand deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. …¹⁴It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones,¹⁵to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”¹⁶These are grumblers, finding fault,following after their own lusts;they speak arrogantly,flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.¹⁷But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,¹⁸that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”¹⁹These are the ones who cause divisions(i.e. not the ones who are steadfast in the Gospel of His coming),worldly-minded,devoid of the Spirit.²⁰But you, beloved,building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,²¹keep yourselves in the love of God,waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.²²And have mercy on some, who are doubting;²³save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.²⁴Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and tomake you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, (i.e. on the day of the Lord) (Jud 1:3-4, 14-24 NASB)

B. Historically, the church has organized itself based on its identity of false security. This has resulted in a misunderstanding of the function of grace in the life of the believer, and the means of attaining[1]it. Thus, it is extremely rare that you find any group of normal believers[2]in church history since the Constantinian Shift that organizes itself in the same way that the early church did. I.e. by constant prayer together.

⁴Do not leave Jerusalem, butwait(cf. prayer) for thegiftmy Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.⁵For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…⁸you will receive power(i.e. grace) when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be mywitnesses(calling) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:4-8 NIV)

• ¹⁴These all with one mind werecontinually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. (Act 1:14 NASB
• ⁴²They were continuallydevoting themselvesto the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread andto prayer. (Act 2:42 NASB)
• ⁴“But we willdevote ourselves to prayerand to the ministry of the word.” (Act 6:4 NASB)
• ¹³Therefore,take up the full armor of God, so that you will be ableto resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. …¹⁸With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view,be on the alert with all perseveranceand petition for all the saints, (Eph 6:13, 18 NASB)
• ²Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; (Col 4:2 NASB)
• ⁷The end of all things is near;therefore, be ofsound judgmentandsober spirit for the purpose of prayer.(1Pe 4:7 NASB)

C. Grace, within the Biblical context, is the power of God that works in the believer to anchor them in authentic faith which is expressed through lives defined by joyfully embracing the cross in discipleship and preaching the gospel with clarity and boldness. Thus, it is not a bonus to salvation, it is the only way that any man will inherit the resurrection and the Kingdom of God.

¹¹For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.¹²It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,¹³while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, (Tts 2:11-13 NIV)

• ⁵Now He who prepared us for this very purpose (i.e. the resurrection) is God, whogave to us the Spirit as a pledge. (2Cr 5:5 NASB)
• ¹³… you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,¹⁴who isgiven as a pledge of our inheritance, with aview to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. (Eph 1:13-14 NASB)
• ¹⁰As to this salvation (i.e. the resurrection), the prophets who prophesied ofthe grace that would come to youmade careful searches and inquiries, …¹³Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit,fix your hope completely on the graceto be brought to youat the revelation of Jesus Christ.(1Pe 1:10, 13 NASB)

D. The prayers of the apostles, within the Biblical worldview, are simply the prayers that they prayed that the saints might be sustained in their sojourn to persevere in righteousness and a bold witness. All of the prayers of the apostles were generally for three areas of grace:

1.Understanding of our calling(Wisdom, revelation, knowledge of God’s will, etc…)

2.Strength to persevere in our calling(Worthy of calling, strength, perseverance, etc…)

3.Preaching the Gospel with boldness(Preach with boldness, signs and wonders, etc…)

⁹For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking Godto fill you with the knowledge of his willthrough all spiritual wisdom and understanding.¹⁰And we pray thisin order thatyou maylive a life worthy of the Lordand may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,¹¹beingstrengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,andjoyfully¹²giving thanks to the Father, who hasqualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. (Col 1:9-12 NIV)

²⁹“And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, (Act 4:29 NASB)

A. Historically, the word ‘ekklesia’ has been seen as very difficult to understand. Thus, making the identity of the ‘church’ which Jesus promised to build in Matthew 16 very difficult to understand.

¹⁸“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church (Gr. ekklesia); and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. (Mat 16:18 NASB)

B. Traditionally, the ekklesia is interpreted within a Christoplatonic worldview which still assumes the idealization of the ‘spiritual’ and the demonization of the ‘natural’. Since this is the primary lens through which the Scripture is interpreted, the Old Testament is seen as the story of the merely ‘natural’ people of God while the New Testament introduces the ‘spiritual’ people of God.

C. Within the framework of traditional Western theology (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant), they were never really the people of God since they were simply ‘types and shadows’ of the ‘spiritual’ reality. This view is strengthened by the assumption that we are the Kingdom of God, since the Kingdom of God is clearly what all of the patriarchs and prophets were looking for.

¹A Psalm of Solomon. Give the king Your judgments, O God, And Your righteousness tothe king’s son.²May hejudge Your people with righteousness And Your afflicted with justice. …⁴Mayhe vindicate the afflicted of the people, Save the children of the needy And crush the oppressor. …⁸May healso rule from sea to sea And from the River to the ends of the earth. …¹¹And let all kings bow down before him,All nations serve him.¹²For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help, The afflicted also, and him who has no helper. …¹⁷May his name endure forever; May his name increase as long as the sun shines; And let men bless themselves by him; Let all nations call him blessed. …¹⁹And blessed be His glorious name forever; And may thewhole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen. (Psa 72:1-19 NASB)

⁹Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold,your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed withsalvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.¹⁰I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; And the bow of war will be cut off.And He will speak peace to the nations; And His dominion will be from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zec 9:9-10 NASB)

D. This misunderstanding was strengthened in the 17^thcentury with the release of the first edition of King James’ ‘Authorized Version’ of the Bible. In 1611 the—what is now considered—authorized version of the Scripture was first printed. The task of translating the Scripture from the original text was carried out with great diligence.

E. However, King James I—being quite the scholar himself—issued 15 articles or guidelines by which the translators were obligated to abide. The 3^rdarticle required the translation of ‘ekklesia’ as ‘church’—as opposed to William Tyndale’s edition which translated it ‘congregation’.

A. The word ekklesia is a generic and secular word that simply means an assembly or gathering of some kind.

ἐκκλησία ekklēsia; from 1537 and 2564; an assembly, a (religious) congregation:—assembly(3), church(74), churches(35), congregation(2).^[1]

• 1537. ἐκ ek or ἐξ ex; a prim. prep. denoting or.; from, from out of:—after(1), against(1), among(18), based(5), basis(2), because(10), belonged*(1), belonging*(1), depends(1), depends*(1), derived(1), grudgingly*(1), heavenly*(1), inspired(1), means(1), over(1), reason(1), result(4), say*(1), since(1), some(3), through(1), under(1), utterly*(1), way(1), without*(1).^[2]
• 2564. καλέω kaleō; a prim. word; to call:—call(13), called(99), calling(2), calls(7), give(1), invite(2), invited(15), invited guests(1), invites(1), name given(1), named(2), so-called(1), summoned(2).^[3]

³⁷“This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN.’³⁸“This is the one who was in thecongregation(Gr. ekklesia, KJV ‘church’)in the wildernesstogether with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you. (Act 7:37-38 NASB)

¹¹For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,¹²saying, “I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN,IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION(Gr. ekklesia, KJV ‘church’) I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE. (cf. Ps. 22:22)” (Hbr 2:11-12 NASB)

B. The ekklesia is simply the people of God who are called out to inherit the promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—Old Testament and New.

“The church is the community of all true believers for all time. This definition understands the church to be made of all those who are truly saved… that must include all true believers for all time, both believers in the New Testament age and believers in the Old Testament age as well… both the usage of the term ‘church’ in Scripture and the fact that throughout Scripture God has always called his people to assemble to worship himself, indicate that it is appropriate to think of the church as constituting all the people of God for all time, both Old Testament believers and New Testament believers.”[4]

C. We have been grafted into the ekklesia of Israel by means of the New Covenant, and we await the fulfillment of the promises to Abraham and David just as the faithful remnant of Israel present/past does.

¹⁷But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive,were grafted in among them and became partaker with themof therich root(i.e. beginnings with the promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) of the olive tree,¹⁸do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. (Rom 11:17-18 NASB)

³⁵So do not throw away your confidence; it will berichly rewarded.³⁶You need topersevereso that when you have done the will of God, you willreceive what he has promised.³⁷For in just a very little while, “He who is coming will come and will not delay.³⁸But my righteous onewill live by faith(i.e. in the Messiah). And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” (cf. Hab. 2:3ff)³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. (i.e. at the day of the Lord) (Hbr 10:35-39 NIV)

• ¹Nowfaith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.²This is what the ancients were commended for.³By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command…⁴Byfaith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did…⁵Byfaith Enoch was takenfrom this life, so that he did not experience death… he was commended as one who pleased God.⁶And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and thathe rewards those who earnestly seek him. (i.e. who look to Him for their salvation in the resurrection)⁷By faith Noah (great grandson of Enoch), when warned aboutthings not yet seen(cf. vs. 1),in holy fear built an ark to save his family.By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.⁸By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he wouldlater receive as his inheritance,obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.⁹By faith he made his home in the promised land like astranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise …¹³All these people werestill living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.³⁹These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.⁴⁰God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.^12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Hbr 11:1-12:1 NIV)

A. So we—like the patriarchs and the prophets—are qualified for our inheritanceby faith in the Messiah. The stipulation for all of the covenants was simply righteousness. God’s part (the ‘righteousness of God’) is to provide the means to raise the righteous sons of Adam from the dust (i.e send the Messiah) our part is tobelieve in His righteous character and order our lives in light of it—i.e repentance.

B. The primary confusion within the early Messianic community was not regarding the inclusion of Gentiles, but the means of inclusion. Following the development of the LXX in the 4^thcentury B.C. the inclusion of the Gentiles into the promises became a central concern. Three conditions were put forth by which Gentiles could join the assembly of Israel, and thus inherit the promises.Circumcision—a sign of the circumcision of the heart, offering sacrifice—an outward expression of the acknowledgment of guilt, and baptism—an outward sign of the cleansing of the heart.[1]

C. The offer of inclusion to the Gentiles without keeping all of the signs of the Torah was the primary controversy within the Jewish community of the Messiah. However, when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the Gentiles—giving them also the guarantee of the resurrection and the Kingdom if they persevere in faith and repentance—it became clear that the Lord was making another covenant with those who were not sons of Abraham.

⁴²“And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. …⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, theHoly Spirit fellupon all those who were listening to the message.⁴⁵All the circumcised believers who came with Peterwere amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.⁴⁶For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered,⁴⁷“Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized (i.e. inclusion to the ekklesia) who have received the Holy Spirit (and thus a promise from God to have an inheritance in the Kingdom and resurrection) just as we did, can he?” (Act 10:42, 44-47 NASB)

• ¹⁵“And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. …¹⁷“Therefore if God gave to them the same gift (i.e. the Holy Spirit of promise) as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”¹⁸When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then,God has granted to the Gentiles(i.e. without conversion to Judaism)also the repentance that leads to life.” (Act 11:15, 17-18 NASB)

D. Within the New Covenant—just as the rest of the covenants—inclusion and permanence within the assembly of the righteous are both conditional. Belief and perseverance in a lifestyle of obedience and perseverance is still required for inclusion into the covenant.

²⁵not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you seethe day drawing near.²⁶Forif we go on sinning willfullyafter receiving the knowledge of the truth,there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,²⁷but aterrifying expectation of judgmentand THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. …²⁹How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?³⁰For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” (Hbr 10:25-27, 29-30 NASB)

⁵‘Now then,if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;⁶and you shall be to Me akingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” (Exd 19:5-6 NASB)

E. Like Abraham and Sarah, we believe that He who promised is faithful, and so we order our lives based on this assurance.

¹¹By faitheven Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, sinceshe considered Him faithful who had promised. (Hbr 11:11 NASB)

A. However, righteousness was never an arbitrary system of conduct. Within the context of the covenants, the Lord would reveal Himself to a group of people to whom He would offer inclusion into the resurrection and the Kingdom. Then the stipulations of faith and repentance were simply based on the revelation of God to them. So, He would reveal Himself as holy to the children of Israel and then require their conduct to be conformed to the revelation of Himself.

²“Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them,’You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. (Lev 19:2 NASB)

B. Likewise, the Ten Commandments were simply a reiteration of the way in which God had revealed Himself. Thus, the people were to have faith in Him (i.e. He really is this way) and repent from conduct that was unlike His nature.

²“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.³“You shall have no other gods before Me.⁴“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.⁵“You shall not worship them or serve them;for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God,visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,⁶but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.⁷“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God (i.e. the way that I have revealed Myself to you) in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.⁸“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.⁹“Six days you shall labor and do all your work,¹⁰but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.¹¹“For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. (Exd 20:2-11 NASB)

C. However, these commandments were simplysigns of the covenantthat God was making with them. They were meant to assure them of their election, and to encourage them to walk worthy of the calling to inherit the Kingdom and the resurrection.

¹⁶‘So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.’¹⁷“It is a signbetween Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.” (Exd 31:16-17 NASB)

¹⁰“This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised (i.e. a sign of the required circumcision of the heart).¹¹“And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, andit shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. (Gen 17:10-11 NASB)

D. So, in the New Covenant God has likewise revealed Himself in order to confirm the covenant with the elect.The theophany upon which the New Covenant is based is the cross. The cross of the Messiah was both an atonement by which those who repent and believe would be qualified for the resurrection as well as the fullness of the revelation of God.

E. This established our faith in God as synonymous as with a life defined by the humility of the cross. Just as in all of the covenants, inclusion into the Ekklesia at the end of the age is conditional upon perseverance in the lifestyle conformed to the image of God in Christ.

²⁶For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,²⁷but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. …³⁶For you haveneed of endurance, so that when you have done thewill of God, you may receive what was promised. …³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul. (Hbr 10:26-27, 36, 39 NASB)

¹³“You will be hated by all because of My name, but theone who endures to the end, he will be saved. (Mar 13:13 NASB)

F. So, repentance and belief—and thus righteousness—are defined by our acknowledgment of the cross of the Messiah as the revelation of God, and our conformity to the cross.

²⁹Jesus answered and said to them, “This is thework of God,thatyou believein Him whom He has sent.” (Jhn 6:29 NASB)

²³And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for theSon of Man to be glorified.²⁴“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, itremains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.²⁵“He wholoves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.²⁶“If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.²⁷“Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’?But for this purpose I came to this hour.²⁸“Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” …³²“And I,if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”³³But He was saying this to indicate thekind of deathby which He was to die. (Jhn 12:23-28, 32-33 NASB)

G. Conformity to the cross is not advanced discipleship—as is commonly presented in the West—it is the only discipleship of the New Covenant.

¹⁷Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.¹⁸But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works,and I will show you my faith by my works.”¹⁹You believe that God is one. You do well; thedemons also believe, and shudder.²⁰But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow,that faith without works is useless?²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?²²You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; …²⁴You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. (Jam 2:17-22, 24 NASB)

H. So, the Ekklesia of the Messiah is a witness on the earth of God and the cross with the Spirit being left as a promise which guarantees our inheritance in the resurrection. The Spirit works to bear witness to the cross by conforming the people of the Messiah to His cross, as well as by strengthening them with the powers of the age to come.

I. Just as the cross was a sign to the generation of the Messiah that He is long-suffering, and slow to anger, so we are a sign in our long suffering of God’s patience and love.

¹¹Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.¹²Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1Pe 2:11-12 NASB)