For several years, I have been meeting with a few saints (biblical term for the called-out) to remember Christ and study from his last will and testament. We have no ties to a local church organization as we believe it is a creation of man that began after the old Judaic system ended, promoted by the early church fathers. There is a huge historic gap between the destruction of Jerusalem’s temple, the sign of that era (cf. Hebrews 9:9), and the first known writings of the “church fathers.” The effort has been put forth to narrow the gap by Iraneaus’ reference to John being on Patmos in 96. Even then, the link is not clearly made but offers more potential for the influence of John on the teachings of these early bishops. It is interesting, in light of Paul’s warning in Acts 20 about leading men arising from among themselves to draw disciples to follow them, that we do not tie the early “church fathers” to such men. Yet, the content of their teaching about their authority and their positioning among Christians as authority figures is given with the obvious intent to control “heretical” teaching from free thinkers. These men instructed the people to do nothing without their presence. Anything related to the category of “religious activity” was controlled and administered by the very ones who perverted the way of Christ and His apostles.
There was never an institution structured with bishops to lead and control its affairs. The translators, especially under the influence of King James, knew only this perverted way. The standard translation of the Greek, ekklesia, is “church”. When we read it, we read not an assembled class of saved who are known and recognized by God, but we read into it a local assembly of individuals who have formed themselves into an entity of its own so that there are individual activities and church activities. This is the recognized standard approach to the subject. Few ever question it. Those who have, are quickly shut down by the leadership of these entities. It was begun by the church fathers, promoted by the Catholic church that followed and supported by her children that grew from her.
What is the alternative, and just who are these “called out” will be the topic of discussion tomorrow.