Leaving the Church Age – Entering the Kingdom Age
The End of the Church Age
No, it is not the end of the church, only the end of its ascendency. The new age of the Kingdom is coming in to replace the church as the engine of Christian government. The Church Age is on its way out as God predicted, but we were not paying attention. Today only 28% of believers still attend church. it is as though they are waiting in the wings for the next move of God.
Major shifts in God’s plans have always been gradual so naturally we did not notice the Kingdom moving in. Pandemic restrictions forced Christians into different thinking and acting patterns just as in the 12-15th centuries.
with Martin Luther after the Plague
Large numbers of people were disgusted with the Roman Church long before Martin Luther took his public stand. In fact, he could not have been so successful had he not been speaking for a broad base of largely silent agreement.
Martin Luther caused a giant shift from liturgical religion to evangelical, from duty to outreach, from corporate to individual worship and from dependence to independence. The Kingdom Age brings similar changes in belief and practice.
Missionaries not Members
The Church Age has been all about the collection of the “ecclesia” – the “called out” ones, those called out of worldly sins to a new life. The Kingdom Age is the advent of King Jesus Himself, from behind walls to beyond walls. Everyone will look more like a “missionary” than a “member.” Church walls are gone, replaced by the walls of Salvation and the Gates – Praise. Isaiah 60:18. Where there is great change, you always find Isaiah.
“Ecclesia” is a feminine word in Greek and her position has been under human control, that is the control of males, although anointed, appointed, called and prepared, but still not under the Holy Spirit who is the director of the activities of believers on earth, or should be. That 28% will now have a place to go.
A Transfer of Headship
The Kingdom is a transfer to the direct headship of the deity. It is not about communication of the gospel but communion with God Himself through His Son. It will, in the end, not be recognizable anymore than early Christianity for the 1st few hundred years reflected Judaism.
Here come the Jewish Believers “Messianic”
The goal of this Kingdom people will be the creation of “one new man” joining Judaism and all other believers under a spiritual headship. They will be one in the spirit.
Ephesians 2: (He) having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace
The New Man is a blend of the Jew under the Law and the Christian under Grace. You don’t really have a total person without both. And you don’t really have a “church” without both the Law and Grace. Jews will begin to live under not Christian law, but Kingdom law, just as Christians must give up church rules for Kingdom Grace.
It could mean “turf wars”
“Our side recognized the Messiah first.”
“Our side honored God’s Torah and you wishy-washed-it-up with cheap grace.”
Jews will need to honor Paul and the book of Romans.
Christians will need to take Levitical holiness seriously to heart.
Some believers will not submit
Of course, man has free will and he will choose whom he will serve – self, world, devil or Lord. We do not expect there will be total unanimity. This group will be called the Body of Christ, a male body. While within the Kingdom, all will be on an equal footing in spite of all having diverse gifts and calling.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
The political feminists movement can never realize equality because they seek it through natural means, but the spiritual can bring it to pass. Women will feel relieved in this atmosphere knowing their gifts will not be deprecated.
The Old Church
The old Church Age has mortgages, retirement plans and programs; the Kingdom Age has none of these because it is not an organization but an organism. Bible studies will be in homes for deliverance, healing and community. There will be attempts to go back to the Law; Jews may try to take over because they are part of the original tree from which Christianity came, but they will be resisted, because the Kingdom is all governed by the King and not Man.
End of Dependence on Real Estate
The buildings of the Church Age will be sold, although a few buildings for celebration will remain. Some churches have already seen this vision and are acting accordingly. They have multi-thousand celebrations but the work of the ministry is done elsewhere by individuals, trained, called, and most importantly, obeying God one-on-one.
A Lord or a Savior
Not everyone wants a Lord so many will hang on to the past, but not to worry, Jesus is moving things along. Important to the Kingdom is the raising up of the Tabernacle of David. I’ll say more about that some other time.
For now, rejoice, and if you have wearied of the old ways of talking heads and eternal “programs” which don’t meet needs, the Kingdom is yours. Look for it.
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©CorneliaScottCree.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission, from this blog’s author and/or owner, is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to CorneliaScottCree.com. Thank you for cooperating in the effort to give glory to God.