"There Shall Be A Holy Convocation"

Hello To All:                                      

How often do we think of our church meetings as "a holy convocation?"  Probably not very often. A meeting in the town square (please see previous essay titled: "Unto The Church Of God"), would not be rightly understood as being a holy convocation. In my personal experience, I cannot recall ever attending any meetings that were thought of or identified as: "A Holy Convocation."

Granted, the phrase, "a holy convocation," does not appear in the New Testament of the King's Book.  It is a phrase unique to the Old Testament - the Jewish Scriptures.  It is in the very Jewish context of the establishment of "the Lord's passover," (please look to Exodus chapter 12), and the perpetual annual celebration of the "passover," that the phrase, "a holy convocation," is used. How then, is this relevant to our Christian practice and experience?

We begin to find our answer at Exodus 12:5-6, where we find written: (5) "Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:" (6) "And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening."

It should be clear to us, from the above text, that the establishment of the "passover" and the on-going celebration of the "passover," was exclusively meant for: "the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel."
This was not and is not a celebration, that was meant to be conducted in the town square with everyone and anyone invited. In fact, just the opposite is true. We find written at verse 11: "It is the Lord's passover."

The passover was established as a closed door event and celebration for "the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel."  Thus, because of this exclusive reality regarding the relationship between the Lord our God, whose most foundational characteristic is that He is Holy, and His chosen people, "the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel," that the establishment and on-going celebration of the passover can be rightly understood as occurring in the context of: "A Holy Convocation." God, Himself, declared it to be; and commanded it to be called: "A Holy Convocation."

We find written at Exodus 12:16: "And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you." This convocation can rightly be understood as being "holy," because it is declared to be holy; and because it is exclusively attended by, "the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel;" and it is rightly identified as: "The Lord's passover."

Let us now turn to the New Testament and let us see if this exclusive relationship between God and His people, being identified in the context of "an holy convocation," has a contextual application for Christian believers. We find written, at 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, the following:

(14) "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"
(15) "And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?"
(16) "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

At verse 14, the question is asked: "what communion hath light with darkness?" The word communion is another occurrence of the Greek word Koinonia (please refer back to the three essays titled "Do we believe God: Regarding communion?" beginning 12/21/2012). The text makes it very clear. There can be no "communion;" there can be no "koinonia;" there can be no "shared intimate relationship" between light and darkness. Light and darkness are mutually exclusive realities.

Let us take another look at how the church is described in the above text. We are, that is to say, that those who are converted to Jesus Christ and belong to Jesus Christ, are referred to as being: "righteousness" - "light" - "he that believeth" - "the temple of God" - "ye are the temple of the living God" - "God hath said, I will dwell in them" - "and walk in them" - "I will be their God" - "they shall be my people."

We should see the same exclusive relationship between God and the Christian church, that we see between God and the chosen people of Israel. Each group is to remain set apart and distinctly separated from all that is not of God.

The western church, for most of its practice, has abandoned this idea of being set apart and distinctly separated from all that is not of God. It can be rightly stated that a major contributor to the decline of the western church is the "town square" model that we have chosen for ourselves. We have opened the doors of the church to the leaven of the world.

We are called to "the general assembly and church of the firstborn." We "are the temple of the living God." Jesus drove the money changers from the temple. We have invited the money changers in (the leaven of the world); and we seem very content with their presence. The "money changers" have robbed us of our exclusive status as "the general assembly and church of the firstborn." When will we allow our Lord Jesus Christ to drive out the money changers from "the temple of the living God?"

If we, my beloved brethren, are content with the "money changers," then the reality of "victorious discipleship in Jesus Christ," shall be a most difficult journey.  It is in the midst of the "holy convocation," that we find these principals of "victorious discipleship," most evident in the assembled believers, both individually and corporately. This is fertile ground for "victorious discipleship."

I, personally, yearn for and pray for, the establishment of this "holy convocation" in the western church and in the church throughout the world. I look for our Lord Jesus Christ to drive out the money changers. Please join with me in this yearning and in this prayer. Amen and Amen and Amen!

Until next time, my beloved brethren, I continue to be:

Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus

"Unto The Church Of God"

Hello To All:

We closed our last essay by stating the following: "When next we meet, we shall take a closer look at the characteristics of: "The general assembly and church of the firstborn." The time for that closer look is now at hand; and I must confess to you, my beloved brethren, that it is with a certain amount of trepidation, that I approach this topic. Particularly, as western Christians, we take a very defensive posture regarding the local church that we belong to, or regularly attend. Our church is important to us; and we do not treat with kindness those who would criticize us. But, criticize I must.

With rare exceptions, what we, in the west call church, is not the church described, in great detail, in the King's Book. In case you missed the importance of what was just written, then allow me to once again proclaim, with absolute clarity: What we typically call church, in the west, is not the true church described and revealed in the King's Book! Rather, our western churches most closely resemble a town square meeting, where anyone, regardless of creed or persuasion can enter in and participate and express their opinions.  In an essay published May 31, 2013, and titled: "Do We Believe God Regarding Communion: Our Purge," we were reminded of the significant negative effect that leaven can have on the local assembly. But, with our western town square format, we invite and even encourage the leaven to come on in.

In John, chapter ten, our Lord Jesus Christ gives us a very clear picture of what the church is: (verse 1) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." (verse 9) "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." (verse 10) "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

The "sheepfold," in the John chapter ten text, would be rightly understood as the church; and since entrance into the sheepfold is only through Jesus (see verse 9); then it should be rightly understood that the church is exclusively for believers (please see previous essay titled: "The general assembly and church of the firstborn"); that is to say, that the church consists of those who belong exclusively to Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Christ, the Son of The Living God. Amen and Amen and Amen!

Please note the above description of the church as being "exclusively for believers." Yes, it is true that believers gather in church meetings in all parts of the west. But, these are rarely exclusive gatherings. We have opened up another door; this is the door that allows the leaven to enter in. We have decided, for a variety of reasons, that our church meetings are to cater to the saved and also to be evangelistic outreaches (we seem to be doing a very good job of ignoring the "go ye therefore" commandment that is directed to every follower of Jesus Christ); and so, we open the doors to any who would enter.  There are no gatekeepers; and, as a result, both the saved and the unsaved suffer, because the western church, contaminated by leaven, is now much less then Christ intends for it to be.

Please consider the introduction to Paul's first letter to the Corinthian church. We find written at 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, the following:

(1) "Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,"
(2) "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:"
(3) "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."
(4) "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;"
(5) "That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;"
(6) "Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:"
(7) "So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:"
(8) "Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."
(9) "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."

In our previous essay, we came to understand, that the "Ye" who "are come," are those who belong to Jesus. In this essay, we should be beginning to recognize, that what we "are come" to, is meant to be exclusively for believers.

Take another look at the introduction to the Corinthian letter: "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth" - "To them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus" - "Called to be saints" - "With all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord" - "Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours" - "The grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ" - "That in every thing ye are enriched by him" - "The testimony of Christ was confirmed in you" - "Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" - "Who shall also confirm you unto the end" - "That ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" - "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."

Our text closes with another reference to our calling: "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."  The "fellowship," that we are called to, is the same Koinonia that we have looked at before (please see essay of 12/12/2012 titled: "Do we believe God: Regarding Communion?" - and essay of 02/14/2013 titled: "Do we believe God: Regarding Communion? Part 2").

I am compelled to conclude, my beloved, that the church is meant by God to be a holy convocation, an exclusive assembly, meant for believers only - no exceptions! I am praying that you are coming to the same conclusion.

Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus I continue to be:

Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus